Speaking to PTI Videos on Saturday, Wagle said New Delhi had indicated that it would extend “very generous assistance” for reconstruction as Nepal begins to assess the enormous damage caused by the disaster. India has already sent relief material and a specialised team to assist with rescue operations.
India steps up relief support for Nepal
An ice-rock avalanche following a glacial collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border triggered a torrent of water, mud and debris that swept through central Nepal on Wednesday. Towns and villages were devastated, with homes, vehicles, roads and bridges washed away and hydropower projects also damaged.
More than 2,400 people remained missing, while nearly 2,500 people had been evacuated as rescue teams continued operations amid intermittent rainfall in the affected regions.
Since Wednesday, India has dispatched 57.6 tonnes of relief material to flood-hit parts of Nepal. An 11-member Indian team comprising medical personnel and tunnel rescue experts also arrived in the country after Kathmandu requested assistance.
Nepal tackles crisis in phases
Wagle said Nepal was approaching the disaster response “in phases”, with rescue and immediate relief remaining the first priority.
“The immediate priority is to rescue people who can be saved, including those stranded or trapped in hydropower plants,” the finance minister said. He added that the Nepal Army had airlifted 1,930 people so far.
Efforts were also underway to airlift relief supplies to areas including Dhunche, Rasuwa and Syaphru Besi, which had been cut off after roads were damaged.
“The next phase will focus on early recovery, including temporary shelters and cash-for-work programmes, followed by the daunting task of reconstruction,” Wagle said.
More than 11,000 security personnel, including over 5,000 Nepal Army personnel, have been mobilised for search and rescue operations.
Nepal praises India’s assistance
Asked whether Nepal would seek help from other countries, Wagle said it would, while specifically highlighting India’s support.
“The Government of India and Prime Minister Modi have been exceptionally generous. I was in the government when the 2015 earthquake struck, and I recall the generosity of the Indian government was really noteworthy,” he said.
Wagle also recalled that special supplies had been flown in from New Delhi after floods and said India had indicated that it would provide “very generous assistance for reconstruction”.
The Nepal finance minister added that similar support had also been forthcoming from Nepal’s other neighbours.
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