IAF expands Nepal relief mission with two more aid flights
Third and fourth flights deliver relief supplies, rescue equipment and specialist teams to Kathmandu.
India has stepped up its humanitarian response to Nepal’s ongoing flood and disaster situation, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) sending a third and fourth relief flight carrying rescue specialists, forensic experts, medical supplies and essential relief material to Kathmandu.
The fourth flight, operated by an IAF C-130 aircraft, is carrying around 11 tonnes of humanitarian assistance along with specialised teams and equipment for search and rescue operations. The aircraft includes a tunnel technical contingent equipped to support rescue operations in difficult terrain, as well as a team of forensic experts and equipment for DNA analysis.
The latest consignment also includes relief supplies such as blankets, sleeping bags, tarpaulins, plastic sheets and hygiene kits to support communities affected by the disaster.
The third IAF flight, which departed for Kathmandu carrying around 10 tonnes of humanitarian assistance, included portable generator sets, dignity kits, food packets and water purification tablets. An 11-member team comprising doctors, paramedics and a reconnaissance team for tunnel rescue operations was also deployed on the mission.
India has also expanded its infrastructure support to Nepal as part of the ongoing relief effort. Sixteen trucks carrying equipment for a 230-foot single-lane modular steel bridge have reached Nepal. Equipment required for the installation of seven additional Bailey bridges will also be supplied, with technical teams expected to arrive shortly to support their installation.
According to the latest update, India has so far airlifted a total of 68.5 tonnes of relief material to Kathmandu. The assistance includes essential medicines, portable generator sets, food packets, water purification tablets and specialised technical equipment.
The latest deployments build on India's earlier airlift operations following the devastating flash floods that struck Nepal on August 26, causing deaths, leaving people unaccounted for and damaging homes, roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure.
The first IAF aircraft, a C-130J, departed on August 26 carrying around 10 tonnes of relief material, including temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits and medicines. A C-17 aircraft subsequently transported 37.5 tonnes of assistance, comprising 28.5 tonnes of relief supplies, eight tonnes of medicines and one tonne of food packets.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India's humanitarian assistance and medical supplies had reached Kathmandu and that additional support was being mobilised. He added that India remained in close contact with Nepalese authorities and would continue to support the country's relief and rescue efforts.
With the deployment of specialised rescue personnel, forensic teams, medical support, relief supplies and bridge-building equipment, India's response is extending beyond immediate humanitarian aid to support Nepal's search-and-rescue operations and restoration of critical infrastructure.
This article was originally published on Indian transport logistics News.
