External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday discussed relief and rescue efforts underway in Nepal in the wake of a devastating flash flood in the Bhotekoshi River area of Rasuwa, stating that India gives “highest priority” to the relief operations in the neighbouring country.
In a post on X, Jaishankar said, “Discussed the relief and rescue efforts underway in Nepal today. Our Embassies in Kathmandu & Beijing provided an updated picture in respect of the status and well-being of Indian nationals. The concerned MEA Divisions apprised us of the further relief supplies to be sent to Nepal. We give highest priority to this issue.”
The crisis stems from a catastrophic flash flood that struck the Tibet-Nepal border on August 26, sending a powerful surge of water, sediment, and boulders through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems and leaving widespread devastation in its wake. Nepal is currently grappling with the aftermath of the major flash flood that struck the Rasuwa district on Wednesday morning.
Authorities involved in rescue operations have so far recovered 475 bodies, The Kathmandu Post reported.
As India is assisting Nepal with relief supplies, Nepal’s cabinet has approved the Krishi Samagri Company Limited to purchase 25,000 metric tons of DAP fertiliser from New Delhi through G2G procurement.
India is closely monitoring the situation as several of its residents were also left stranded during the flash floods.
According to the Nepal Tourism Board, 117 tourists have been rescued, including 85 from India. Sixteen of the tourists rescued were from China, nine from South Korea, two each from the US and Italy, and three are unidentified.
A group of pilgrims, including Visakhapatnam DLDA Chairman Gadu Venkatappa, had a narrow escape after a series of delays and timely interventions helped them avoid the disaster.
According to Venkatappa’s brother Garudappal Naidu, the group of 28 pilgrims, including eight members of their family, had travelled from Bhagalpur Airport on August 24 through a private travel operator for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
Rescue efforts are underway in Nepal, while there are concerns that fresh floods could be triggered after a large barrier lake formed near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers reportedly breached on Friday.
The Kathmandu Post reported that Rasuwa Chief District Officer Narendra Pariyar said that the Nepali Army had just informed him that the lake had breached.
People in the Trishuli area of Nepal were evacuated again as a heavy flow of water from above has threatened to raise the river’s water level, Nepal Police stated after an earthquake of magnitude 5.1 jolted Longchang City in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.
(With ANI inputs)
