The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that 288 Indian nationals, including hydropower project workers and tourists, remain missing following the devastating flash floods in Nepal, as India extends full support to its neighbour.
Key Points
- 288 Indian nationals are currently unaccounted for after severe flash floods in Nepal.
- The missing individuals include 73 Indians working on the Trishuli One Power Project and various tourist groups.
- Twenty-one Indian nationals from Tamil Nadu have been successfully rescued from the affected areas.
- Around 200 Indians in Tibet have also sought assistance from the Indian authorities.
- India has pledged to continue providing all necessary support and assistance to Nepal in its flood relief efforts.
At least 290 Indians remain missing and around 200 others are stranded on the Chinese side following devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border, with New Delhi in constant contact with authorities in both nations to coordinate their rescue, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.
India said it stands "shoulder-to-shoulder" with Nepal to help it deal with the crisis as the rescue operations gathered momentum in the Himalayan nation, a day after the flash floods killed over 260 people and left a trail of destructions, sweeping away bridges, roads and hydropower projects.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, after a high-level meeting with top officials and India's envoys to Kathmandu and Beijing, said New Delhi is making "urgent efforts" to ascertain the status and well-being of Indians stuck in flood-hit areas.
India's Support and Ongoing Efforts
Since Wednesday night, India sent a total of 47.5 tonnes of emergency supplies to Nepal in two military transport aircraft and is in the process of sending more relief materials.
A top official said the immediate priority of India is to trace and rescue the missing Indians as well as those stranded in flood-hit areas.
At a media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the missing Indians in Nepal included those working on hydropower projects and tourist groups from various states including Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
"There are 290 Indian nationals who remain uncontactable. These include 73 Indian nationals who are working on the Trishuli One power project. Our embassy in Kathmandu is in touch with the project head to get more details about these people," he said.
"Then, there are two separate groups of 37 and 49 nationals from Tamil Nadu, who travelled for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Samrat and Fly Everest travel agencies," he said.
Jaiswal said there was a separate group of 32 Indian nationals from West Bengal who travelled with the help of Samrat Travels to Timure in Rasuwa district while there was another group comprising 61 Indians from some other states.
There was another group of 33 nationals from Kerala, he said.
"We have rescued 21 Indian nationals who are from Tamil Nadu... We have received information that a number of Indian nationals who had gone on the Mansarovar Yatra are stranded on the Chinese side," he added.
About 200 Indians in Tibet Seek Assistance for Evacuation
Jaiswal said around 200 Indian nationals on the Tibet side have sought assistance for evacuation.
Of them, 95 are in Garchan and are proceeding to cross over into Nepal while four are in Geelong city, and 13 are in Zutulpuk, he said.
The MEA spokesperson said the situation in the flood-ravaged areas is dynamic and India is in contact with the authorities concerned to rescue the Indians.
After chairing the high-level meeting, Jaishankar said: "Urgent efforts are underway to ascertain the status and well-being of all Indians in the flood-affected areas."
Jaishankar said his ministry is coordinating with various ministries, state governments, tour operators and other relevant authorities.
"We are working closely with the Nepali side, both on this aspect and on the relief efforts," he said.
India on Thursday sent a second tranche of 37.5 tonnes of relief supplies in a military transport aircraft to Nepal.
India Dispatches 10 tonnes of Relief Materials
New Delhi on Wednesday dispatched 10 tonnes of HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) materials.
"A second flight has just taken off, carrying 37.5 tonnes of HADR material, medicines & food packets for Nepal," Jaishankar said on social media.
"India remains in close and continuous touch with the Nepalese authorities. We will continue to strongly support the ongoing relief efforts," he said.
The first tranche of relief materials was sent hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Nepalese counterpart Balendra Shah and assured him of all possible humanitarian assistance to deal with the situation.
"The people of India stand in solidarity with their sisters and brothers in Nepal at this difficult time," Modi had said on social media after the conversation.
"India is ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance to Nepal. Our teams are coordinating closely on rescue and relief efforts," he said.
The relief supplies included emergency items such as temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps, and medicines.
It is learnt that New Delhi will send more relief supplies in the next few days.
