Flood survivors in Nepal have expressed gratitude for India’s assistance as the Nepal-Bharat Maitri Bhawan provides shelter, food and medical support to people affected by the devastating floods.

Flood survivors in Nepal have thanked India for its assistance as relief efforts continue following devastating floods that have displaced communities and disrupted essential services.

The Nepal-Bharat Maitri Bhawan has emerged as one of the facilities providing support to affected residents, offering shelter and medical care to people who have been forced to leave their homes.

Survivors staying at the facility described India’s assistance as a major source of relief during the crisis, with some expressing their gratitude in emotional terms.

Shelter and medical support for survivors

The Maitri Bhawan is providing a safe place for people affected by the floods while medical teams attend to those requiring healthcare.

For survivors dealing with the loss of homes, belongings and access to basic services, temporary shelter and medical assistance have become critical parts of the relief response.

The assistance comes as authorities and relief agencies continue efforts to reach communities affected by flooding and provide essential supplies and healthcare.

Survivors express gratitude

People taking shelter at the facility spoke about the support they had received from India during the difficult period.

Their accounts highlighted the importance of humanitarian assistance at a time when many affected families are struggling to return to normal life.

The expressions of gratitude also underscore the people-to-people dimension of India-Nepal ties, with humanitarian assistance becoming particularly significant during a major natural disaster.

Relief operations continue

Nepal continues to deal with the consequences of the floods, including displacement and damage to infrastructure and essential services.

As rescue and relief operations continue, shelters such as the Nepal-Bharat Maitri Bhawan are helping provide immediate assistance to survivors while medical personnel address health concerns.

India has been supporting Nepal's wider disaster response, with assistance aimed at helping affected communities cope with the aftermath of the floods.

The ongoing response highlights the importance of coordinated humanitarian support, particularly for communities that remain unable to return home or access regular healthcare and essential services.

Nepal Health Minister Nisha Mehta said India has sent an expert team for DNA testing and is helping set up a laboratory as Nepal works to identify and manage bodies recovered after devastating floods.

 India is assisting Nepal with the identification and management of bodies recovered after the devastating floods, including through DNA testing and support for setting up a dedicated laboratory, Nepal Health Minister Nisha Mehta said on Wednesday.

Mehta said India had sent an expert team to assist with DNA testing and was also helping Nepal establish a laboratory for DNA-related work.

“The main issue was regarding the dead body management,” Mehta said, adding that the Indian team was assisting Nepal with the process.

India steps up assistance

Mehta described the support as part of the close relationship between the two neighbouring countries, saying India has stood with Nepal during both difficult and favourable times.

She said India's assistance was particularly important as authorities faced the challenge of identifying recovered bodies and ensuring they could be handed over to families.

According to Nepal Police figures cited in the report, the flood death toll had risen to 1,127 by Wednesday. Bodies had been recovered from several districts, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan, Gorkha, Tanahun, Nawalparasi East and Nawalparasi West, as well as nine recovered in India. 

However, identification remained a major challenge. Nepal Police said only 95 recovered bodies had been handed over to families after identification at the time of the report. 

Rescued people housed at holding centres

Mehta also said rescued people were being accommodated at holding centres, where authorities were taking care of their health needs.

She added that neighbouring countries were assisting Nepal with rescue operations and providing different forms of aid. International organisations including the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF were also working on the ground alongside Nepalese authorities and other responders.

The minister said the combined response was focused on making the best possible efforts amid the scale of the disaster.

India's assistance with DNA testing and laboratory infrastructure comes as Nepal continues the difficult task of identifying victims and reconnecting families with those who died in the floods.

Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah outlined the government’s response to the devastating flood crisis, stressing the need for courage, determination and coordinated efforts as rescue and relief operations continue.

Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah has detailed his government’s response to the country’s ongoing flood crisis, saying the situation requires the government and people to confront the challenges with “courage and determination”.

Shah’s remarks come as Nepal continues to deal with the severe impact of flooding, with rescue, relief and recovery operations being carried out in affected areas.

The Prime Minister emphasised the government’s efforts to respond to the crisis and support communities affected by the disaster. The focus remains on rescue operations, relief assistance and restoring essential services in areas hit by floods.

The government’s response comes amid a broader humanitarian emergency in Nepal, where flooding and related damage have disrupted transportation, infrastructure and access to essential services.

Shah’s message underlined the need for sustained coordination among government agencies and other stakeholders as authorities work to reach affected communities and manage the consequences of the disaster.

The Prime Minister also sought to project determination in the government’s approach, stressing that the crisis must be faced collectively rather than through panic or uncertainty.

With rescue and relief operations continuing, authorities are expected to remain focused on reaching stranded residents, providing essential supplies and assessing damage to infrastructure.

The flood crisis has also highlighted Nepal’s vulnerability to extreme weather and the challenges involved in conducting rescue operations across difficult mountainous terrain.

For the government, the immediate priority remains saving lives and providing assistance to affected communities, while longer-term recovery will require restoration of damaged infrastructure and essential services.

India has dispatched its fifth aircraft carrying an 11-member specialised rescue team, search-and-rescue equipment and 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines to support Nepal's ongoing relief operations after devastating floods.

 India has stepped up its humanitarian assistance to flood-hit Nepal, with a fifth aircraft carrying an 11-member specialised rescue team and 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines departing for the neighbouring country on Wednesday.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar announced the latest assistance in a social media post, saying the aircraft was carrying the rescue team along with specialised equipment and essential medicines. 

The latest deployment comes as Nepal continues large-scale search, rescue and relief operations following devastating flash floods that struck the country last week.

11-member rescue team joins relief effort

The specialised team has been sent with search-and-rescue equipment to strengthen ongoing operations in flood-affected areas.

The assistance is aimed at supporting Nepalese authorities in locating and rescuing people still trapped or missing following the disaster, while helping relief agencies respond to the continuing humanitarian needs.

Nepal has suffered extensive damage from the floods, with authorities reporting more than 1,000 deaths and thousands of people still missing. More than 12,000 people have been rescued, according to reports citing Nepalese authorities. 

5.5 tonnes of essential medicines sent

Alongside the rescue personnel and equipment, the aircraft is carrying 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines.

The medical supplies are intended to support healthcare requirements in areas affected by the floods, where local health infrastructure and access to medical services have been disrupted.

The latest consignment follows earlier Indian assistance, including medical teams, relief material and technical support for search-and-rescue operations. 

India's relief assistance reaches 68.5 tonnes

With the latest effort, India has so far supplied 68.5 tonnes of relief material to Nepal, according to reports. New Delhi has also sent doctors, paramedics and technical personnel to assist with the response. 

India's assistance is being provided as part of its humanitarian response to the disaster and reflects its broader Neighbourhood First approach towards regional cooperation and disaster relief. 

The first Indian relief assistance was sent shortly after the floods struck on August 26. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken with Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah and assured him of India's support following the disaster. 

Nepal faces major infrastructure damage

The floods have also damaged critical infrastructure across Nepal.

Reports citing local authorities said 35 motorable bridges, 45 suspension bridges and around 40 km of black-topped roads have been affected, particularly in central Nepal. 

The damage to roads and bridges has complicated access to affected communities and increased the importance of specialised rescue teams and emergency supplies.

With search operations still underway and thousands of people unaccounted for, India's latest aircraft is expected to add further capacity to Nepal's ongoing rescue and relief efforts.