India Sends 35 Tonnes Of Fresh Aid To Flood-Hit Nepal As Search For Missing Continues

India on Wednesday stepped up its humanitarian assistance to flood-ravaged Nepal, sending 35 tonnes of relief material and specialised equipment aboard an Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft as rescue teams continued searching for thousands of people still missing after the devastating flash floods.

The latest consignment took India’s total relief supplies sent to Nepal since August 26 to more than 130 tonnes, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). India has also deployed 54 expert personnel to assist Nepal with rescue, relief and forensic operations.

The MEA said the latest aircraft was the eighth special Indian flight carrying humanitarian assistance to Kathmandu since the floods struck. India began sending aid within hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s conversation with Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah on August 26.

The assistance has included temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps and medicines, along with specialised equipment for difficult rescue operations. These include mud rescue suits, gas detectors, breathing apparatus, inflatable walkways, portable generators, lighting towers and dewatering pumps.

India has also deployed a specialised tunnel rescue team that is working alongside the Nepal Army. The team initially operated at Chilime and Langtang, but the search has now been concentrated at Chilime, where difficult terrain, limited access and the steep slope of the tunnel have slowed operations.

A makeshift track is being constructed to allow heavy machinery, including an excavator, to reach the tunnel. Officials said the route is progressing and is expected to be completed within another two to three days.

India is also supporting Nepal’s efforts to identify victims. An Indian forensic team is working in two laboratories in Kathmandu, analysing DNA samples in coordination with Nepalese authorities. India has supplied DNA kits, reagents and other equipment required for profiling.

Nepal Police said 5,326 people, including at least 589 foreign nationals, remained missing on Wednesday. The disaster’s death toll had risen to 1,365, with hundreds of bodies recovered from several badly affected districts.