India sends medical aide, relief assistance to flood-hit Nepal; over 400 Indians stuck in China, 320 untraceable, says MEA
PTC News Desk: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Friday that more than 400 Indian nationals stranded on the Chinese side of the Nepal-China border are safe. Efforts are still underway to contact hundreds of other Indians affected by the devastating floods.
The MEA said the Indian Embassy in Beijing is staying in touch with several Indians in the affected areas through local authorities, team leaders and travel agents. Families of those stranded have also been contacting the embassy through dedicated helpline numbers.
“In fact, there are around 400 Indian nationals. Our embassy is in touch with several of them, in fact, with their team leaders and their travel agent. Many of their family members also contacted us through the helpline numbers that our embassy is running right now in Beijing," the spokesperson said.
India is also sending specialised rescue teams to Nepal to help locate people who may still be trapped inside a hydropower tunnel affected by the floods.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India has offered to provide Bailey bridges to Nepal to help restore connectivity. These portable, prefabricated bridges can be quickly assembled without requiring heavy machinery. Several bridges, towns and villages have been washed away in the floods, which have claimed more than 500 lives.
Rescue operation underway in hydropower tunnel
According to the Nepal Prime Minister's Office, rescue teams are continuing efforts to locate around 100 people believed to be trapped inside a hydropower tunnel.
Officials said around 350 workers and local residents have already been rescued from the tunnel, while efforts continue to find those still missing.
Jaishankar said he had spoken with his Nepalese counterpart Shisir Khanal and assured him that India remains committed to supporting Nepal during the ongoing disaster and rescue operations.
- PTC NEWS
