Always With Nepal: India Sends 10 Tonnes of Humanitarian Aid as Devastating Flash Floods Leave Country Reeling

India has stepped up its support for Nepal after devastating flash floods caused widespread destruction and loss of life across parts of the Himalayan nation. In a strong show of solidarity, the Embassy of India in Nepal has delivered 10 tonnes of humanitarian aid to assist ongoing relief and recovery operations.

Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava handed over the relief materials to Nepal’s Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Khadka Raj Poudel. The Indian Embassy said the assistance is intended to support communities affected by the catastrophic floods and reaffirmed India’s commitment to providing every possible form of support to its neighbouring country.

The aid delivery follows a deadly flash flood in the Bhotekoshi River region on Wednesday. According to reports, an avalanche blocked the flow of the Lhende tributary of the Bhotekoshi River, resulting in a sudden and powerful surge that struck Timure near the Rasuwagadhi border with China before moving downstream towards Syaphrubesi. The flooding occurred without warning, with no rainfall reported in the immediate area at the time. The sudden surge left residents and travellers with little time to react, turning the event into one of Nepal’s most serious recent natural disasters.

At least 157 people have been confirmed dead, while hundreds remain unaccounted for. Foreign nationals and security personnel are among those reported missing. Nepal’s Tourism Board has separately reported that around 105 Indians were among the foreign nationals listed as missing in preliminary information collected from tourism and travel agencies.

The disaster has also caused extensive damage to infrastructure across several districts. Initial assessments indicate that nine hydropower projects, nine commercial bank branches and 19 motorable bridges have been destroyed, while around 40 kilometres of highway has been swept away by the floodwaters. As Nepal continues its search and rescue operations, India has expanded its humanitarian response. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah and expressed his condolences over the loss of lives. Modi said that India stands with the people of Nepal and is ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance.

The two countries are also coordinating closely on rescue and relief operations. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said India’s humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and medical support had reached Kathmandu, while additional assistance was being mobilised. India’s latest aid shipment is expected to provide additional support to Nepal as authorities focus on locating missing people, helping survivors and restoring essential infrastructure in the flood-affected areas. The response also reflects the longstanding ties between India and Nepal, with New Delhi continuing to assist its neighbour during a critical period. The scale of the destruction has highlighted the challenges faced by communities living in the mountainous Himalayan region, where sudden floods, landslides and avalanches can develop rapidly and make rescue operations particularly difficult.

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