India on Wednesday sent 35 tonnes of humanitarian aid and specialised equipment to flood-ravaged Nepal aboard an Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft, as rescue teams continued to search for thousands of people missing in the devastating flash floods.
The latest consignment is part of India's ongoing humanitarian assistance to Nepal following the floods that struck the Himalayan nation on August 26.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India has expedited the delivery of relief supplies, equipment and expert personnel to Nepal through eight special flights since August 26.
"An eighth Indian Air Force flight carrying humanitarian assistance reached Kathmandu today," the MEA said.
A senior defence official said earlier in the day, "In continuance of the efforts from India for helping Nepal in HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) work, a C-17 transport aircraft of the IAF departed today, carrying 35 tonnes of relief material and equipment."
India has so far sent more than 130 tonnes of relief material and deployed 54 experts to support Nepal's rescue, relief and forensic operations, the MEA said.
The assistance includes temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps and medicines, besides specialised tunnel and mud rescue equipment, DNA kits and reagents, portable generators, lighting towers and dewatering pumps.
India has also deployed a specialised tunnel rescue team, which is working with the Nepal Army, and a forensic team assisting in the identification of victims through DNA profiling.
The tunnel rescue team initially operated at Chilime and Langtang. The ongoing search is now focused on Chilime, where difficult terrain, limited access and the slope of the tunnel have posed challenges.
The MEA said the team has made progress through manual efforts and innovative techniques. A makeshift track is also being constructed to allow heavy machinery, including an excavator, to reach the tunnel. The track is expected to be completed in another two to three days.
Meanwhile, rescue teams were searching for 5,326 missing people, including at least 589 foreign nationals, according to a Nepal Police bulletin.
The death toll from the floods rose to 1,365 on Wednesday as more bodies were recovered from affected areas.
India's first tranche of relief material was sent within hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking to his Nepalese counterpart Balendra Shah on August 26, the day the flash floods struck.
The MEA said the Indian forensic team is working at two laboratories in Kathmandu with Nepalese authorities to examine and analyse DNA samples.
"The forensic laboratory equipment, DNA kits and reagents being provided by India will support the ongoing efforts," MEA officials said.
"India remains committed to providing all possible assistance to the people and the Government of Nepal and will continue to support rescue, relief and recovery efforts in the country," the MEA said.
(With inputs from PTI)
