29 August,2026 01:25 PM IST | Kathmandu | mid-day online correspondent
Flood-affected areas in Nepal. Pic/AFP
Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel on Saturday expressed gratitude to India for extending relief and rescue assistance following the devastating flash floods that struck the Himalayan nation on August 26, killing 626 people.
Paudel conveyed his appreciation to President Droupadi Murmu and the Indian government for their support and solidarity following the disaster. He also expressed condolences over the deaths of Indian nationals in the floods.
On social media platform X, the Nepal President said the government and people of Nepal were grateful for India's concern and the assistance extended after the calamity. In a separate message, he offered condolences to the Indian government and people over the loss of Indian lives in the disaster.
India has stepped up its humanitarian assistance to Nepal as rescue and relief operations continue in the flood-affected areas. The third Indian flight carrying relief material reached Kathmandu on Friday, with the supplies handed over to Nepal's minister Mahabir Pun.
India has also deployed an 11-member medical and tunnel rescue team to assist ongoing operations.
According to Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, several Indian nationals affected by the disaster have been rescued and brought back. The rescued people include 21 residents of Tamil Nadu who returned to India on Friday and 63 workers deployed at the Trishuli-I hydropower project.
In another rescue effort, around 100 pilgrims from Maharashtra who had been stranded in Kathmandu were safely brought back with assistance from the Bihar government. The pilgrims were sent towards their home state by train on Saturday.
The operation was carried out following directions from the Bihar Chief Minister and under the supervision of senior state officials, including the Chief Secretary and the Principal Secretary of the Disaster Management Department.
Following a request from the Maharashtra government, the Sitamarhi district administration on August 28 facilitated the safe movement of the stranded pilgrims from the Nepal border to Sitamarhi.
The scale of the disaster remains severe. According to the latest update from Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the death toll from the Bhotekoshi flood disaster has risen to 626, while 2,426 people remain missing.
Chitwan reported the highest number of recovered bodies, with 233, according to the disaster authority. Rescue and relief operations continue as authorities assess the extensive damage caused by the floods.
(With inputs from ANI)
