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Chandigarh, August 26
More than 100 people have died and about 500 are missing, including 105 Indians, after severe flash floods swept through several parts of central Nepal.The flooding has caused widespread destruction, damaging villages, towns, bridges and hydroelectric projects. Authorities in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have been placed on high alert as floodwaters are expected to move downstream towards the Gandak river.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Wednesday and expressed his condolences over the loss of lives.Modi said India stood in solidarity with the people of Nepal and was ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance. Indian teams are coordinating with Nepalese authorities on rescue and relief operations, he said.
Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke to the chief ministers of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to review preparations along the India-Nepal border.Shah said the devastation in Nepal was “deeply tragic” and said local administrations, rescue teams and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had been placed on high alert in areas that could be affected.
According to an advisory from India’s Central Water Commission (CWC), the water level in the Trishuli river at Furke Khola in Nepal rose sharply. The location is about 160km from the Indian border, and the rise has been linked to suspected flash-flood or glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) activity near the Nepal-China border.
The CWC warned that floodwaters from Nepal could travel downstream through the Gandak river into India. The officials in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh have taken precautionary measures, including evacuation and providing assistance to Indian communities living near the border. Officials have been instructed to closely monitor the situation.
The ministries of home affairs, external affairs, water resources and defence are also monitoring developments.The CWC said water levels in reservoirs on the Nepal side were falling and that the situation was under control. It added that there was no need for panic.
Reports of Indian tourists missing in Nepal have prompted the Indian embassy in Kathmandu to issue emergency helplines for people seeking information or assistance.
Indian nationals requiring help can contact the embassy on +977 985 131 6807 or +977 970 910 7500.
The North News
