By Vishu Adhana
Kathmandu [Nepal], September 1 (ANI): India has been "very proactive" in providing relief and support to Nepal following the devastating floods in the country, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leader Rahabar Ansari said on Tuesday, while highlighting assistance from India, South Korea and China in search and rescue operations.
Speaking to ANI, Ansari said Nepal had received immediate assistance from its neighbours and the international community following the disaster.
"Given the scale of this devastation, we have to look at it from two sides. On one hand, the government, private sector, civil society, media, security personnel, and the people of Nepal must stand united. On the other hand, our international community and neighbours have been proactively helping us in every way possible," he said.
"Specifically, the Government of India has been very proactive in immediately sending necessary relief materials through several consignments. Additionally, experts from India, South Korea, and China have been continuously assisting with search and rescue operations," Ansari added.
He said Nepal had always welcomed support from other countries and rejected suggestions that there had been a delay in accepting international assistance.
"I think Nepal has always welcomed all kind of support, be it material support or knowledge support or expertise support from all around the world. We have a very balanced relationship with our neighbours, with our bilateral connections. So, I would not say there was a delay in accepting this help or support from the international agencies," Ansari said.
"Definitely they are, as I said, we have like experts from India, from South Korea, from China, all working together in rescuing people who are strangled, people who are stuck," he added.
Ansari's remarks came as Nepal continued rescue and relief operations following the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi region, with authorities facing challenges in reaching affected areas due to difficult terrain and weather conditions.
He said more than 20,000 police, Armed Police Force (APF) and Army personnel had been deployed for search and rescue operations.
"The challenges are clear. We have geographical constraints, making access to certain areas very difficult. Weather conditions and the uncertainty of another event occurring are also challenges. Regarding personnel, more than 20,000--almost 21,000--police, APF, and army personnel have been deployed," he said.
"Locating buried or washed-away bodies remains a major challenge. Rescue is always difficult globally, and our terrain and limited road access make it even more so," Ansari added.
On reports of delays in rescuing hydropower workers trapped in tunnels, he said the country's challenging terrain had made rescue operations difficult.
"As you know, we have our hydropower projects in very challenging terrain of this country, and people are stuck, which is a big, it's a sad thing for us. But we together are fighting; we together are working in trying to get them out, to get people who are stuck there and/or get the bodies out from there," he said.
Ansari also rejected claims that Nepal had not received an early warning from its neighbours ahead of the disaster.
"On government level, I would not agree with this that we were not warned or there was an early warning that was already established and we did not get to know," he said.
"We are definitely talking to, the government is definitely quite engaged with India and China in solving this problem. So I would not agree with the narrative that we were not warned or there was some kind of information that was hidden from us. Definitely not," Ansari added.
The devastating flood that struck Nepal last week has left 939 people dead, while search operations continue for those still missing. A total of 3,925 people are missing, as per the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), which includes 592 foreign nationals.
Rescue operations are underway in several districts in Nepal, including Rasuwa and Nuwakot.
Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Nepal has issued steps for the identification of the mortal remains of Indian citizens who died in the flood, asking the relatives of the victims to facilitate identification through photographs or by providing DNA profiles. (ANI)
India has been "very proactive" in sending relief to flood-hit Nepal: RSP's Rahabar Ansari
