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US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor offered condolences to the people of Nepal over the devastating floods, saying the US stands with families who have lost loved ones.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Gor said, "My sincere condolences to the people of Nepal on the devastating floods. Our hearts are with the families who have lost loved ones, please follow @USEmbassyNepal for updates and be sure to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program." https://x.com/usambindia/status/2092670244409978906 He also urged American citizens in Nepal to follow the US Embassy in Nepal for updates and enrol in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. Meanwhile, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) Associate Professor Dr Swapnamita Choudhury Vaideswaran said there was hardly any rainfall during the situation and cautioned that the cause could not yet be conclusively determined. Speaking from Oslo, Norway, Vaideswaran said, "I could see that there was hardly any rainfall, about six millimetres. But if you remember the Dharali incident, there was hardly any rain in the valleys." "Right now, we can only speculate and not conclude much," she added. She stressed the need for greater monitoring and preparedness concerning glacial lakes that could pose risks to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir. "We need to understand how we can become more aware and more prepared to understand which of our glacial lakes we need to start monitoring that can pose a risk to Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, or Kashmir. The climate change scenario is demanding that we become more prepared," she added. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah and conveyed condolences over the loss of lives due to floods in the Himalayan nation. He said India is ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance. He said India stands firmly in solidarity with "sisters and brothers in Nepal" during this difficult time. The Prime Minister said teams from both countries are coordinating closely in the rescue and relief efforts. "Spoke to Prime Minister Balendra Shah and conveyed condolences on the loss of lives due to the floods in Nepal. The people of India stand in solidarity with their sisters and brothers in Nepal at this difficult time. India is ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance to Nepal. Our teams are coordinating closely on rescue and relief efforts," PM Modi said in a post on X. India has also begun mobilising humanitarian assistance for Nepal amid the ongoing relief efforts. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in a post on X, said, "India's HADR and medical assistance has reached Kathmandu. More assistance is being mobilised to support relief efforts." According to Nepal's Tourism Board, around 105 Indians were among the foreign nationals "reported missing" after a flash flood in the Bhote Koshi River in the Rasuwa area of the country, stating that the information is based on preliminary agency-wise records received from tourism and travel companies. Meanwhile, at least 157 people have been killed, and nearly 400 remain missing after devastating flash floods struck Nepal's Bhotekoshi River on Wednesday, with foreign nationals and security personnel among those unaccounted for, The Kathmandu Post reported. The mid-morning flash flood wreaked havoc across three districts, sweeping away people, homes, vehicles and critical infrastructure in one of Nepal's deadliest disasters in recent years. According to CNN, citing the Nepalese police post on X, at least 157 people have died in the devastating flash floods. The flood was caused after an avalanche blocked the flow of the Lhende tributary of the Bhotekoshi and struck Timure, near Nepal's border with China at Rasuwagadhi. The water then surged downstream towards Syaphrubesi and other settlements, The Kathmandu Post reported. With no rainfall reported in the area, residents had no warning before the flood struck. A statement from Nepal's Prime Minister's Office said hundreds of people, including 391 foreigners and 44 security personnel, have gone missing, The Kathmandu Post reported. The floods also caused extensive damage to infrastructure. Nine hydropower projects and nine branches of commercial banks were destroyed, while 19 motorable bridges and around 40 kilometres of highway were swept away, according to a preliminary assessment cited by The Kathmandu Post. The scale of those missing has raised concerns that Wednesday's floods could rank among the deadliest disasters in Nepal's modern history, The Kathmandu Post reported. (ANI)
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