Nepal Flash Floods: 287 Indians Reported Missing
India steps up relief and rescue efforts as Nepal’s flood death toll climbs to 675, with forensic experts and specialised teams deployed to assist recovery operations.
NEW DELHI, Aug 29: At least 287 Indian nationals remained missing in Nepal on Saturday, while 88 others were rescued following devastating flash floods that struck areas along the Nepal-Tibet border, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
The ministry said 128 people of Indian origin were also yet to be contacted following the disaster. In a separate development, 120 Indian nationals stranded on the Chinese side safely crossed into Nepal on Saturday.
Four Indians Ripu Kumar, Chaneshwar Narzary, Kripa Shankar and Mohammed Minhajuddin were rescued from a hydropower project in Rasuwa, one of the areas badly affected by the floods. They are expected to reach Kathmandu shortly.
The devastating floods have triggered a large scale search and rescue operation in Nepal. According to the latest information released by Nepalese authorities, the death toll from Wednesday’s flash floods has risen to 675 as rescuers continued recovering bodies from affected areas.
India has expanded its assistance to Nepal, sending a six-member forensic team comprising experts who will help local authorities analyse DNA samples to identify the remains of those killed in the disaster.
The MEA also said a specialised Indian technical team has been deployed to assist with tunnel reconnaissance and rescue operations in the affected region.
“The team started working from today to assist in tunnel rescue in the impacted area. Based on their recommendation, a specialised tunnel rescue team from India with equipment is expected to reach Nepal today,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a social media post.
The Indian government has been coordinating multiple relief and rescue initiatives since the floods struck on Wednesday night. A total of 57.5 tonnes of emergency supplies have so far been transported to Nepal aboard three Indian military transport aircraft.
The latest shipment, comprising 10 tonnes of relief material, was dispatched on Friday evening to support communities affected by the disaster.
India has also deployed an 11-member medical team consisting of doctors and paramedics, along with a reconnaissance crew tasked with assessing the requirements for tunnel rescue operations.
The rescue and relief efforts come as several areas remain difficult to access because of the extensive damage caused by the floods and landslides.
Jaiswal said on Friday that India had offered to provide Bailey bridges, along with the necessary technical teams, to help Nepal restore road connectivity in areas cut off by the disaster.
The proposed bridge support is aimed at speeding up the reopening of critical routes and improving access for rescue personnel and humanitarian supplies.
With hundreds of people still unaccounted for, authorities in both countries are continuing efforts to trace missing nationals, identify victims and provide assistance to those stranded in the flood hit regions.
