UN reports difficulties delivering aid to victims in Nepal
The UN has reported significant difficulties in delivering humanitarian aid to people affected by devastating floods in Nepal’s mountainous regions. Due to destroyed roads, the organization is discussing with the country’s government the use of cargo drones, helicopters and porters to reach isolated communities in the Himalayas, Channel NewsAsia reports.
According to Nepalese authorities and Chinese state media, 1,280 people were killed on both sides of the China-Nepal border after a catastrophic collapse in the glacial mountains on August 26, while another 5,624 are considered missing. More than 800 foreigners from at least 34 countries, including tourists and pilgrims, are among the missing.
Destroyed infrastructure
The floods destroyed roads, bridges and hydropower dams. Settlements near the epicenter remain cut off, while the UN and the Nepalese government are trying to deliver water, sanitation and hygiene kits, food and medicines there.
UN coordinator in Nepal Lila Peters Yahia said that the scale of the disaster and destruction was extraordinary, and access to the affected areas had been “very, very, very difficult.” According to her, gaps in aid delivery are inevitable because of the scale of the disaster.
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Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal called the disaster a “Himalayan tsunami” and said that the situation on the ground is much worse than can be seen in images. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri said the country needs specialized international assistance, including heavy drones, temporary bridges, body bags and DNA testing kits.
Search operations continue
More than 21,000 personnel from Nepalese security forces are involved in search-and-rescue and humanitarian operations. Nepalese rescuers, supported by specialists from India, China and South Korea, are searching for people feared trapped in tunnels at hydropower facilities. At the same time, no one in these tunnels has yet been confirmed alive.
Nepalese authorities reported the discovery of 1,259 bodies and 5,083 missing persons. Chinese state media reported 21 deaths and 541 missing people in China. Experts also stress the need for a permanent mechanism for monitoring, data exchange and coordination among countries in the Himalayan region.
