New Delhi, August 27: Harish Kumar Sejekan, brother-in-law of Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah, on Thursday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian government for providing humanitarian assistance to Nepal following flash floods, saying India extended support when it was needed.
Speaking to media, Sejekan said India and Nepal share close ties and described the two countries as “brothers”. He said the Indian government had responded to the disaster by sending relief material and medicines.“When it comes to India-Nepal, I think they are brothers and it is always the fundamental duty of the Government to help in such situations,” Sejekan said. He added that providing assistance at the right time was important and thanked the Indian government for its response.
Sejekan also praised the Nepal government led by Prime Minister Balen Shah for its response to the floods. He said Shah, along with his ministers, had been visiting affected areas and overseeing rescue, evacuation and relief operations.
According to Sejekan, the disaster has affected people in Nepal and others who were present in the affected areas. He said the recovery process would take time and that relief teams would continue efforts to evacuate stranded people and provide food and essential supplies.
He also thanked humanitarian organisations and other groups involved in relief operations, including members of the All Buddhist Federation who have been assisting affected communities with food and medicines.
India has increased humanitarian assistance to Nepal following flash floods in the Bhotekoshi River system near the Nepal-China border.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, India on Thursday sent a second consignment containing 37.5 tonnes of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief material, medicines and food packets to Nepal. The latest consignment took India’s total emergency assistance to Nepal to 47.5 tonnes.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the second aircraft carrying relief material and medicines had departed for Nepal and that India remained in contact with the Nepalese authorities.
India had earlier sent 10 tonnes of HADR material and essential medicines to Nepal on Wednesday. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the two airlifts included medicines and food items, with eight tonnes of medicines and one tonne of food items among the supplies transported by air.
Nepal continues search, rescue and relief operations following the floods. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, 359 bodies had been recovered by Thursday evening, while 910 people were reported missing or remained out of contact.
More than 13,000 security personnel have been deployed in affected areas. Helicopter operations have rescued hundreds of people, including foreign nationals, while relief materials, food and essential supplies are being transported to affected communities.
Authorities have also issued warnings after a blockage in the Lhende River reportedly resulted in the formation of a lake upstream, raising concerns of another flood in the Bhotekoshi River system.
Residents, travellers and rescue teams in vulnerable downstream areas have been advised to remain alert and move away from riverbanks to safer locations.