NEW DELHI: India dispatched the first tranche of relief materials to Nepal on board an Indian Air Force C-130J aircraft, which took off from Hindon airbase near Delhi for Kathmandu around 8.35 pm on Wednesday.
The Indian Air Force sent 10 tonnes of Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) supplies along with essential medicines to support Nepal, which is battling the aftermath of devastating floods. The flash floods along Nepal’s border with the Tibet region have killed at least 95 people and left a trail of destruction.
The relief supplies included temporary shelters, blankets, hygiene kits, solar lamps, and medicines. A C-17 Globemaster aircraft was also expected to depart with further relief material, with additional aircraft on standby for follow-up shipments.
The consignment was sent hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his Nepalese counterpart, Balendra Shah, and assured him of all possible humanitarian assistance. Modi extended condolences to the bereaved families and reaffirmed India’s solidarity with Nepal in the wake of the disaster.
Nepal’s Prime Minister thanked India for its swift response, calling it a reflection of the longstanding ties between the two neighbouring countries.