India sends eighth relief flight to flood-hit Nepal with 35 tonnes of rescue supplies

India has stepped up humanitarian assistance to flood-ravaged Nepal, with its eighth special flight carrying 35 tonnes of relief and rescue material reaching Kathmandu on Wednesday. The latest Indian Air Force consignment includes National Disaster Response Force equipment, specialised rescue gear, forensic supplies and replenishment material for Indian Army personnel engaged in relief and search operations.

The supplies were handed over to Nepal’s Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Mahabir Pun after reaching Kathmandu. India has been sending equipment, relief material and specialist personnel to Nepal through a series of flights since the catastrophic August 26 floods devastated large areas of the Himalayan country.

Indian teams join tunnel rescue

Indian personnel are also participating in the difficult search for people feared trapped at hydropower projects in the worst-affected areas. Indian tunnel rescue specialists are working alongside the Nepal Army and international teams, including at sites in Rasuwa district. The operation has acquired urgency as rescuers continue searching tunnels and other locations nearly two weeks after the disaster.

India has additionally deployed forensic specialists to assist Nepal with DNA identification of bodies recovered from flood-affected areas. Search-and-rescue equipment and technical expertise have formed a significant part of New Delhi’s assistance as Nepal deals simultaneously with missing persons, damaged infrastructure and communities cut off by destroyed roads and bridges.

Over 1,300 bodies recovered

The latest assistance comes as the scale of the disaster continues to mount. According to Nepal government figures released on Wednesday, 1,367 bodies have been recovered while around 5,100 people remain missing. More than 13,600 people, including over 300 foreign nationals, have been rescued so far. Three people have also been brought out alive from tunnels during the ongoing operation.

The August 26 floods caused extensive destruction across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and other districts, damaging homes, roads, bridges and hydropower facilities. Nepal has mobilised its Army, police and disaster-response agencies, while rescue teams and assistance from India and several other countries have joined the massive operation.

India pledges continued support

New Delhi has said its assistance will continue in accordance with requirements identified by Nepalese authorities. Kathmandu has sought additional specialised equipment from international partners, including high-capacity drones, LiDAR systems, Bailey bridges, DNA testing kits, underwater drones, portable generators, high-capacity pumps and equipment for tunnel rescue operations.

The eighth flight underlines the expanding scale of India’s response as rescue operations continue and Nepal begins assessing the enormous task of recovery and reconstruction following one of its most devastating natural disasters.