4 days ago
India Sends Rescue Team as Nepal Requests Flood Assistance
Floods hit Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal on Wednesday.
They damaged homes, roads, bridges and hydropower facilities.
Early reports said more than 500 people died and nearly 2,000 were missing.
Another report gave higher figures, saying more than 600 people had died and 2,426 were missing in Nepal.
Nepal first said its own security forces should lead the rescue because they know the difficult land well.
Later, it agreed to accept foreign help for dangerous jobs needing special skills.
India sent an 11-member team with medical workers and tunnel-rescue specialists.
Nepal also asked India and China to help build 42 temporary Bailey bridges to reopen transport routes.
An 11-member Indian team arrived in Nepal on Saturday to support flood rescue and relief operations.
The team includes doctors, paramedics, medical personnel, tunnel-rescue experts and reconnaissance personnel.
Flash floods in Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal caused more than 500 deaths and left nearly 2,000 people missing in initial reports.
One report gave higher figures of more than 600 deaths and 2,426 missing in Nepal, while also reporting casualties and missing people in Tibet.
Nepal requested India and China to help construct 42 Bailey bridges to restore transport in flood-affected areas.
- Who
- An 11-member Indian rescue team, Nepalese authorities and security forces, and the governments of Nepal, India and China.
- What
- India sent specialists to assist Nepal’s flood rescue and relief operations, while Nepal requested help building 42 Bailey bridges.
- Where
- Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal; one report also described deaths and missing people in Tibet.
- When
- The floods struck on Wednesday, and the Indian team arrived on Saturday; one report identifies the arrival as August 29.
- Why
- The floods caused extensive casualties and infrastructure damage, while Nepal needed specialized expertise and replacement bridges for difficult rescue and transport operations.
Nepal-Led Rescue
Targeted Foreign Assistance
Who should lead rescue operations
Nepal-Led Rescue
Nepal said it wanted to prioritize the deployment of its own security forces because they understand the local environmental conditions and rugged terrain.
Targeted Foreign Assistance
India sent an 11-member specialist team at the Nepal government’s request to support rescue and relief operations.
Whether foreign assistance was needed
Nepal-Led Rescue
Nepal’s foreign ministry initially said it did not require outside search-and-rescue help because its security agencies were conducting the operations.
Targeted Foreign Assistance
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal later said Nepal was ready to accept assistance for cases involving specialized skills and extremely complex physical structures.
Restoring transport links
Nepal-Led Rescue
Flood damage to roads and bridges disrupted transport in affected areas.
Targeted Foreign Assistance
Nepal requested that India and China help construct 42 Bailey bridges, which can be assembled quickly without heavy machinery or special tools.
Key facts
- Indian team size
- 11 members
- Team expertise
- Doctors, paramedics, medical personnel, tunnel-rescue experts and reconnaissance personnel
- Initial Nepal casualty figures
- More than 500 dead and nearly 2,000 missing
- Higher figures in one report
- More than 600 dead and 2,426 missing in Nepal
- Requested bridges
- 42 Bailey bridges
- Infrastructure damage
- Settlements, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure
- Bridge design
- Portable bridges designed for rapid assembly without heavy machinery or special tools
Quotes
Lok Bahadur Chhetri
Spokesperson for Nepal’s foreign ministry
“The offer for help is natural. Our security agencies are doing the search and rescue operation. For now we don’t require such help.”
wionews.com
Sources
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