Relief for Nepal continued on Saturday as India sent another 11 tonnes of supplies by air. It was the ninth Indian Air Force (IAF) flight since the flash floods of August 26, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. Thousands remain missing, so the need is far from over.
What is the latest relief for Nepal from India?
External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar of the Ministry of External Affairs announced the dispatch in an X post on September 19. He wrote that “India continues to support Nepal’s recovery.” The post carried the Neighbourhood First tag. That is India’s policy of giving priority to nearby countries. The load includes medicines, forensic supplies, tents, hygiene kits and sleeping bags. The MEA said this was the ninth IAF plane carrying relief material.
“Dispatched another 11 tonnes of relief material to Nepal, including medicines, forensics supplies, tents, hygiene kits, sleeping bags and other essential supplies. India continues to support Nepal’s recovery. #NeighbourhoodFirst,” he said.
How bad is the damage after the Nepal flash floods?
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) released fresh data at 7 pm on September 18. It puts the death toll at 1,410. That includes 525 human body remains. Another 6,055 people are missing. Rescuers have saved 13,756 people. Eighteen patients are being treated at six hospitals. Security forces have given medical care to 9,984 people.
Infrastructure took a heavy hit too. Aid agency CARE said officials confirmed that 32 bridges and nearly 25 miles of road were swept away. The flood also affected 14 hydropower and solar projects, with a combined capacity of about 748 megawatts, it added.
What caused the Nepal flash floods?
The Nepal Red Cross Society said a sudden surge entered the Bhote Koshi river from the Tibet side at about 9:15 am on August 26. An ice avalanche may have blocked the Lhende river upstream, it said. The exact cause is still under investigation. Authorities warned that rising water could affect communities downstream.
A similar flood struck the same area on July 8, 2025. It began in Tibet’s Lhende river and damaged the Rasuwagadhi dry port.
How has relief for Nepal grown since August 26?
India’s first relief aircraft reached Nepal on the day of the floods. Here is how the flights have progressed.
| Date | Flight | Supplies |
| August 26 | First | 10 tonnes, including shelters and medicines |
| August 27 | Second | 37.5 tonnes, including tents and generators |
| August 30 | Later flight | 11 tonnes, rescue team and forensic experts |
| September 2 | Fifth | 5.5 tonnes of medicines and a team of 11 |
| September 4 | Sixth and seventh | 21.5 tonnes combined |
| September 9 | Eighth | 35 tonnes, including tunnel rescue gear |
| September 19 | Ninth | 11 tonnes |
The August 30 flight also carried blankets, sleeping bags, tarpaulins and hygiene kits. The MEA said the eighth aircraft carried National Disaster Response Force equipment, rescue gear, forensic supplies and replenishment material for Indian Army teams.
What kind of help is India providing?
- Regular air deliveries of tents, medicines and hygiene kits.
- Rescue equipment, including National Disaster Response Force gear.
- Forensic experts for DNA analysis.
- Indian teams at the Chilime tunnel in Rasuwa, working with the Nepal Army.
How is Nepal running its own response?
Nepal’s security forces have mobilised 20,929 personnel. The Nepal Army has carried out 1,651 helicopter flights. That includes 17 flights on September 18. The Armed Police Force has conducted 320 flights. NDRRMA said 23 holding centres shelter displaced people. They include 611 people in Nuwakot, 231 in Rasuwa and 121 in Dhading. Nepal has also sent 502 gas cylinders to affected areas. Food and other relief is moving by road and air.
What did India and Nepal discuss in New Delhi?
Nepal’s Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle met Jaishankar on Friday, the Embassy of Nepal in India said on X. He thanked India for its rescue and relief support after the Rasuwa flood. The embassy said both sides discussed investment, energy and connectivity.
On September 9, Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava said the eighth flight’s supplies were handed to Mahabir Pun. He is Nepal’s Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation.
Who else is supporting the recovery?
NDRRMA said assistance is coming from government agencies, private organisations, development partners and civil society groups. India has sent help through nine special flights since August 26. Relief for Nepal now runs alongside search, medical care and victim identification in both countries.