Wednesday 09 / September / 2026
Kathmandu: India's joint technical team has sustained its dewatering and slush removal operations at the tunnel located in flood-hit Nepal's Chilime area, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated in an update.
Despite the deployment of innovative methods by the technical personnel, the slope of the tunnel and constrained access continue to pose significant operational challenges. Concurrently, the construction of a makeshift pathway designed to induct heavy machinery for clearance work is progressing steadily and is expected to be completed within the next two to three days, according to the MEA.
Meanwhile, the operations being conducted by the Indian forensic team in Kathmandu are witnessing substantial headway. The MEA stated that the forensic experts are currently processing more than 1,400 DNA samples and have successfully generated 378 DNA profiles thus far.
Expanding on these ongoing operations, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Tuesday that India has delivered 95 tonnes of emergency relief materials on board seven aircraft to support Nepal during its ongoing flash flood catastrophe, expressing deep solidarity and sympathy with the government and people of the neighbouring country.
Speaking during a weekly press briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal affirmed that India, as a close neighbour, responded promptly and will continue to back long-term relief, rescue, and reconstruction efforts.
Highlighting the extensive ground deployment, Jaiswal noted that specialised Indian personnel are providing critical operational support alongside material aid.
"We have expressed solidarity and sympathy with the people and government of Nepal, and we are doing our best to help them in this particular disaster. As a close friend and neighbour, India has responded promptly and will continue to support Nepal’s relief, rescue, and reconstruction efforts," he stated.
"We have sent 95 tonnes of relief material on board seven aircraft, and some more material shall be sent there soon. Our forensic team and our tunnel rescue team, both the teams, are operating on the ground. They are giving a helping hand in the rescue and relief efforts. We will continue to support Nepal as per their requirement," he added.
Reiterating that India remains committed to extending assistance tailored to Nepal’s specific requirements, the spokesperson also provided an update on Indian citizens affected by the crisis. Out of 275 Indian nationals currently listed as missing, a figure that includes 49 individuals who disappeared on the Chinese side of the border, 169 Indian nationals have been successfully rescued to date.
"As I told you last time, 275 Indian nationals are missing in this disaster. 169 Indian nationals have been rescued so far. And these 275 Indian nationals who are missing, as I mentioned, also include 49 people who went missing on the Chinese side," Jaiswal said.
Parallel to bilateral relief efforts, official data compiled up to 8 PM on Tuesday by the Nepal Police indicated that 1,366 casualties have been reported, while 4,077 individuals remain unaccounted for across the disaster zone. The official breakdown of recovered victims includes 533 men, 339 women, and 502 partial human remains.
Out of the total recoveries made so far, police authorities have successfully verified and handed over 102 bodies to their families for final rites, while 1,147 bodies have been buried underground under strict forensic guidelines to preserve unidentified remains safely.
The police highlighted a staggering missing person count of 4,077 individuals, comprising both domestic residents and foreign visitors. Missing Nepalese citizens account for 3,469 people, broken down into 2,907 men and 562 women, whereas foreign nationals account for 598 missing individuals, including 269 men and 329 women.
Rescue and medical response efforts led by Nepal Police personnel have accounted for 9,254 rescued or injured individuals, including 6,380 men, 2,824 women, and 50 unidentified cases. In addition, 3,030 displaced people are receiving shelter across designated holding centres managed by authorities.
To support victim identification, specialised teams have collected 2,698 DNA samples, comprising 1,286 samples from deceased victims and 1,412 samples from relatives searching for their missing family members. Profiles and photographs of 1,310 unidentified victims have also been uploaded to the official website to assist the public in matching missing relatives.
The operations have required massive logistical deployment, with 7,975 Nepal Police personnel actively mobilised on the ground. During the disaster response, 65 police personnel were directly affected, and 25 officers remain out of contact. Parallel to rescue duties, police teams have conducted 158 community awareness and disaster guidance programmes, reaching 43,943 local participants.
In light of these developments, India has requested families of Indian nationals who remain missing in China following the devastating mudslide and flash flood on August 26 to submit DNA samples to assist in the identification process.
