Zillar Barta Desk, Kathmandu: China has stepped up its humanitarian assistance to flood-ravaged Nepal, sending emergency supplies and specialised equipment as rescue teams continue their search for survivors following the devastating floods and landslides along the Nepal-China border.
A second batch of Chinese emergency relief supplies arrived in Kathmandu on September 1 aboard a Y-20 transport aircraft operated by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force. The shipment included drones, DNA testing equipment and reagents, water-purification systems and lighting equipment. Five Chinese DNA identification experts also arrived to support identification and recovery efforts.
China’s assistance comes as rescuers face extremely difficult conditions. Floodwaters and landslides have destroyed roads, bridges and other infrastructure, leaving several remote areas difficult to access. Rescue teams are relying heavily on helicopters, excavators, drones and other specialised equipment to reach affected communities and search for people still missing.
Chinese rescue personnel have also faced challenging terrain in the border region. Earlier, professional rescuers from Tibet and Sichuan used inflatable boats, mountain routes, ropes and heavy-lift drones to reach areas cut off by the floods.
The disaster, triggered by a glacier collapse on August 26, has caused catastrophic flooding and landslides across parts of Nepal and neighbouring Tibet. More than 1,200 people have been reported dead in Nepal, while thousands remain missing and rescue operations are continuing at several hydropower facilities.
With roads and bridges severely damaged, technology has become increasingly important to the rescue effort. Drones can help search inaccessible terrain, while water-purification and lighting equipment are aimed at supporting teams working in difficult and dangerous conditions.
China’s latest assistance highlights the growing international response to one of Nepal’s worst recent natural disasters, as rescuers race against time to locate survivors and provide critical support to affected communities.
