NEW DELHI: Two Indian Air Force (IAF) transport aircraft flew 47.5 tonnes of relief material into Kathmandu within 24 hours of the flash floods that tore through central Nepal, even as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday that 288 Indian nationals remained uncontactable in the disaster zone.
Officials told TNIE that the Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been kept in readiness to provide further assistance, with the Army’s engineering resources available for deployment, including for the construction of bridges, as and when required.
The first aircraft, a C-130J Super Hercules, took off from the Hindon airbase at about on Wednesday night with 10 tonnes of temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps and essential medicines.
The flight followed a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart, in which Modi conveyed condolences and offered all possible assistance.
In a post on X, the IAF said additional effort by C-17 and C-130 aircraft would carry further supplies, with helicopters earmarked for rescue and evacuation operations.
A C-17 Globemaster-III followed on Thursday morning with 37.5 tonnes of relief material, medicines, food and a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) payload.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Wing Commander L. Nayak, the aircraft’s commander, said two airbases in India had been identified for diversion and refuelling in the event of a prolonged delay. Air Commodore R. Dobhal, Air Officer Commanding, Hindon Air Force Station, added that the base had kept its C-130 and C-17 aircraft on standby since Wednesday afternoon, when it was informed that relief supplies would have to be airlifted.
Nepal's road department has begun installing Bailey bridges on stretches where crossings were washed away. India supplied 10 prefabricated steel bridges worth over NPR 41 crore after the September 2024 floods, and 10 more worth NPR 73 crore following the rains of October last yeat, both on a grant basis at Kathmandu's request.
Nepal Police put the death toll at 332 as of 3.50 p.m. local time on Thursday. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority listed over 900 people as missing or out of contact, including police, army, customs and immigration personnel, and more than 500 foreign nationals.
The U.S. Geological Survey, which initially recorded the event as a magnitude-4.4 earthquake, later said the flood was generated by a glacial collapse and debris flow. The surge travelled down the Lhende Khola into the Bhotekoshi, struck Timure and the Rasuwagadhi border area, and moved down the Trishuli into Nuwakot and Dhading districts.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the 288 uncontactable Indians included 73 working on the Trishuli-1 hydroelectric project and several groups of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrims from Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Kerala. Communication lines in the area were totally disrupted, he said.
Twenty-one pilgrims from Tamil Nadu have been rescued, while about 200 Indians stranded on the Chinese side have sought evacuation.
A 24x7 control room has been set up in the ministry. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar reviewed the situation with the Foreign Secretary and the Ambassadors in Kathmandu and Beijing.
