India has sent its fifth tranche of humanitarian aid to flood-hit Nepal, with an aircraft carrying an 11-member rescue team, specialised equipment and 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday.
The latest assistance comes as Nepal grapples with the devastating aftermath of the flash floods, which have claimed 1,127 lives. Thousands remain missing a week after the disaster, with rescue teams continuing their search operations across affected areas.
Fifth Aircraft Heads To Nepal
"The fifth Indian aircraft has departed for Nepal. It is carrying an 11-member rescue team with specialised equipment, and 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines," Jaishankar said.
India has so far delivered more than 68 tonnes of relief materials to Nepal. It has also sent doctors and paramedics, besides a technical contingent equipped for search and rescue operations, The Hindu reports.
The scale and speed of the assistance underline the importance of immediate regional cooperation when a natural disaster overwhelms local rescue and relief systems.
Death Toll Climbs To 1,127
Nepal's death toll rose to 1,127 on Wednesday as rescuers raced to locate thousands of people still missing.
According to Nepal Police, at least 348 more bodies were recovered from Chitwan, 217 from Nawalparasi East, 190 from Nawalparasi West and 155 from Nuwakot.
Another 66 bodies were recovered from Gorkha, 59 from Dhading, 45 from Rasuwa and 38 from Tanahu.
Thousands Still Missing
Police said postmortem and legal identification procedures had been completed for 1,113 bodies, while 95 bodies had been handed over to relatives.
Details of 911 unidentified bodies have been uploaded to the Nepal Police website to help families identify their missing relatives.
At least 6,541 people have been rescued by security forces so far. Search operations are continuing for 4,858 people who remain missing, police said.
The large number of people still unaccounted for means the humanitarian crisis remains severe even as rescue and identification efforts continue.
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India Has Sent Over 68 Tonnes Of Relief
India sent its first tranche of relief materials within hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking to Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Aug 26, the day the flash floods struck the Himalayan nation.
Modi assured Shah of all possible humanitarian assistance to deal with the disaster.
Since then, India's relief effort has expanded to more than 68 tonnes of materials, along with medical personnel, rescue specialists and equipment. The continuing deployment reflects the urgency of the situation as Nepal works to rescue survivors, identify victims and provide relief to those affected by the floods.
