India Prioritises Nepal Relief as EAM Jaishankar Reviews Rescue Operations After Deadly Flash Floods

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday reviewed ongoing relief and rescue efforts in Nepal following a devastating flash flood in the Bhotekoshi River area of Rasuwa district, affirming that India is according the highest priority to assistance for its neighbour.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said he held discussions with Indian embassies in Kathmandu and Beijing, which provided updates on the status and well-being of Indian nationals. Ministry of External Affairs divisions also briefed him on additional relief supplies being prepared for dispatch to Nepal. 

“We give highest priority to this issue,” he stated.

The disaster originated from a catastrophic flash flood that hit the Tibet-Nepal border on August 26. A powerful surge of water, sediment and boulders tore through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems, causing widespread destruction in Rasuwa district on Wednesday morning.

Rescue teams have so far recovered 475 bodies, according to The Kathmandu Post. India continues to monitor the situation closely, with several of its residents among those affected or stranded.

The Nepal Tourism Board reported that 117 tourists have been rescued, including 85 from India, 16 from China, nine from South Korea, two each from the United States and Italy, and three whose nationalities remain unidentified.

A group of 28 Indian pilgrims, including Visakhapatnam District Level Development Authority Chairman Gadu Venkatappa and eight members of his family, had a narrow escape. They had departed from Bhagalpur Airport on August 24 via a private operator for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. A series of delays and timely interventions helped them avoid the worst of the disaster, according to Venkatappa’s brother Garudappal Naidu.

Separately, Nepal’s cabinet has approved the purchase of 25,000 metric tons of DAP fertiliser from India by the Krishi Samagri Company Limited through government-to-government procurement.

Fresh concerns emerged on Friday after a large barrier lake near the confluence of the Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers reportedly breached. Rasuwa Chief District Officer Narendra Pariyar said the Nepali Army informed him of the breach. Authorities ordered another round of evacuations in the Trishuli area amid fears of rising water levels, following a magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck Longchang City in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.

India remains engaged in supporting Nepal’s response as rescue and relief operations continue.