India has dispatched a second Indian Air Force flight carrying 37.5 tonnes of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) material, medicines and food packets to Nepal, as rescue operations continue after devastating flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India remains in “close and continuous touch” with Nepalese authorities and will continue supporting relief efforts. The latest consignment follows a 10-tonne shipment sent a day earlier, taking India’s relief airlift to 47.5 tonnes in two days.
Meanwhile, Nepal’s death toll has reached at least 162, with 826 people reported missing, including 590 tourists and 177 Indian nationals, according to Nepalese authorities. Rescue teams are searching riverbanks and downstream areas amid severe damage to roads, bridges and communication networks.
The disaster was triggered by a glacial collapse that sent a massive surge of mud, ice and debris through the Bhote Koshi river system, affecting communities and travellers on both sides of the border.
India Expands Relief Response
The second IAF flight departed on Thursday, August 27, carrying 37.5 tonnes of emergency supplies intended to support Nepal’s ongoing rescue and relief operations.
Jaishankar announced the deployment on X, saying, “A second flight has just taken off, carrying 37.5 tonnes of HADR material, medicines & food packets for Nepal.” He added that India remains in “close and continuous touch” with Nepalese authorities and would continue to strongly support the relief efforts.
The latest airlift comes a day after India sent its first 10-tonne consignment of emergency supplies and medicines to Nepal. The initial shipment included essential relief material for communities affected by the floods, with Indian authorities indicating that further assistance could be provided as the situation develops. Together, the two consignments amount to 47.5 tonnes of aid within roughly 48 hours, underlining the urgency of New Delhi’s response.
India’s response is also closely linked to the presence of Indian nationals among those unaccounted for. Nepal Tourism Board figures show that 177 Indian tourists are among 590 tourists reported out of contact. Rescue teams from Nepal continue to search affected areas, while Indian authorities remain in contact with their Nepalese counterparts over the welfare of Indian citizens.
A Disaster Still Unfolding
The scale of the disaster has continued to become clearer as rescue teams reach areas cut off by floodwaters and debris. Nepalese authorities reported 162 deaths and 826 people missing, including 44 Nepali Army personnel, 28 Nepal Police personnel and 13 Armed Police Force personnel. At least 590 tourists have also been reported out of contact, including hundreds of foreign nationals.
The situation has developed rapidly, with newer reports putting Nepal’s death toll at 165 as bodies continue to be recovered. Across the border in China’s Tibet region, 558 people have also been reported missing, taking the combined number of missing people in Nepal and Tibet to more than 1,300.
More than 5,000 Nepalese army and police personnel have reportedly been mobilised for search and rescue operations, while helicopters are being used to reach isolated communities and evacuate survivors. The floods were triggered by a glacial collapse in the Himalayas, which generated a powerful flow of ice, rock, mud and water into the river system.
The resulting flash flood swept through settlements and infrastructure along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers. Roads, bridges and power infrastructure were damaged, making rescue efforts more difficult. The affected corridor is also used by tourists and pilgrims travelling towards the Mount Kailash region, explaining the large number of foreign nationals caught in the disaster.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Natural disasters do not recognise borders, nationalities or political differences. In a crisis of this scale, the priority must remain saving lives, reaching isolated communities and ensuring that survivors receive food, medicines and shelter with dignity. India’s rapid mobilisation of relief supplies, alongside Nepal’s continuing rescue efforts and international assistance, demonstrates why regional cooperation matters when communities face disasters that can overwhelm local capacities.
Also read: Nepal Flash Flood Kills Hundreds, Leaves Many Missing; Bihar, UP On High Alert
