First responder India dispatches 10 tonnes of relief materials and essential medicines to Nepal

New Delhi: Keeping up with its status as the first responder in disasters, India on Wednesday dispatched 10 tonnes of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) materials and essential medicines to Nepal in the wake of devastating flash floods in the Himalayan nation.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced the dispatch of the relief material.

“Dispatched 10 tonnes of HADR assistance and essential medicines to support Nepal’s response to the devastating floods”, the EAM said in a post on X.

“Our thoughts are with the bereaved families and all those affected. In face of this challenge, India stands with Nepal and its people,” he stated.

Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the C130J aircraft is carrying 10 tonnes of material that includes emergency items such as temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps, and medicines.

This comes hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Nepali counterpart Balendra Shah and offered condolences on the loss of lives due to the flash floods there, while expressing India’s readiness to provide all possible humanitarian assistance to Nepal.

“Spoke to Prime Minister Balendra Shah and conveyed condolences on the loss of lives due to the floods in Nepal. The people of India stand in solidarity with their sisters and brothers in Nepal at this difficult time,” PM Modi posted on X.

“India is ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance to Nepal. Our teams are coordinating closely on rescue and relief efforts,” he added.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by the Nepal Embassy here said: “Given the scale of this tragedy and the number of people who remain unaccounted for, including foreign nationals from several countries, our immediate priority is search and rescue, saving lives and providing assistance to those affected.”

“We are making every effort to locate and assist everyone affected, while working to verify the situation,” it added.

The embassy said that further updates will follow as search and rescue operations continue in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Several people are feared dead, and hundreds of others remain missing following the massive flash floods in the Bhote Koshi River that hit Nepal’s Rasuwa on Wednesday.

IANS