UAE Dispatches Search and Rescue Team and 20 Tonnes of Aid to Nepal Following Deadly Flash Floods

An Emirati search and rescue team landed in Nepal on Friday to deliver urgent humanitarian support following devastating flash floods that have killed more than 1,200 people, with thousands more still missing.

The emergency task force was flown to the disaster-stricken Himalayan country on a UAE relief plane carrying 20 tonnes of additional aid. A glacier collapse and landslide caused severe flash flooding last Wednesday, leading to widespread destruction at the border between Nepal and the Chinese region of Tibet.

This crucial on-the-ground effort is part of a $10 million relief package announced last Thursday, being delivered through the UAE Aid Agency under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed. The UAE previously flew 83 tonnes of food supplies and shelter materials to Nepal, followed by a second aircraft delivering 45 tonnes of relief supplies, including basic food items, essential goods, and power generators.

The third Emirati aircraft was received by Dr Mahabir Pun, Nepal's Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation; Joint Secretary Ram Kaji Khadka, Division Head of Central Asia, West Asia and Africa at Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Abdullah Al Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Nepal; and Dr Ahmed Al Mansouri, Director of the Office of the Vice Chairman of the UAE Aid Agency.

Mr Al Shamsi stated that the UAE relief mission aimed to bolster response operations in affected areas and assist search and rescue efforts in coordination with Nepalese authorities.

The specialist team comprises members of the UAE Joint Operations Command, the Dubai Police search and rescue team, and the UAE Aid Agency. The mission includes experts in disaster relief, medical evacuation, and first aid.