Nepal floods: Owaisi expresses grief, hopes for Indian govt's help

Asaduddin Owaisi expressed deep pain over Nepal's devastating floods, which left over 175 dead and 178 Indians missing. He urged the Indian government to provide aid, while EAM S Jaishankar confirmed relief efforts are underway.

Owaisi Expresses Grief, Urges Indian Aid

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday expressed grief over the devastating flash floods which struck Nepal, leaving atleast 175 dead and hundreds missing, including around 178 Indians. Speaking to ANI, Owaisi expressed hope that Nepal would recieve aid from the Indian government. "Many people are missing, in the hundreds. We hope that our government will surely help Nepal during such difficult times and in their distress. I am deeply pained by the immense loss that has occurred there. It's a massive catastrophe," he said.

Owaisi's remarks come as flash floods in Nepal's Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers have left atleast 175 dead and hundreds missing. The Nepal Tourism Board has said that 178 Indian nationals are among the 644 missing after the flash floods that struck the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Gorkha.

India Ramps Up Relief Efforts

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a review meeting with officials of the External Affairs Ministry (MEA) and Indian Ambassadors in Kathmandu and Beijing after the devastating floods in Nepal. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri were among those who participated in the meeting.

In a post on X, Jaishankar said urgent efforts were underway to ascertain the status and well-being of all Indians in the flood-affected areas. "MEA is coordinating with various Ministries, State Governments, tour operators and project authorities in this regard. We are working closely with the Nepali side, both on this aspect and on the relief efforts," he said.

Earlier in the day, Jaishankar said India had dispatched a second tranche of relief supplies to flood-affected Nepal. "A second flight has just taken off, carrying 37.5 tonnes of HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) material, medicines and food packets for Nepal," he said in a post on X, accompanied by a video which showed the material being loaded onto a military aircraft.

He said India remains in close contact with Nepal authorities and will continue to support the ongoing relief efforts. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)