‘Not Rejected Foreign Aid’ Including India: Nepal Seeks Targeted Help Amid Floods
Nepal says it has not rejected foreign rescue aid, seeking targeted help including refrigeration equipment and heavy-lift drones as floods isolate remote areas. An Indian team has arrived.
Speaking at a news conference at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Khanal said decisions on deploying foreign personnel and equipment were being made based on recommendations from Nepali security agencies leading rescue operations on the ground.
The two worst-affected districts remain largely cut off after major roads and bridges were destroyed, leaving helicopters as the main means of reaching several disaster-hit areas. However, Nepal’s steep terrain, narrow gorges and unpredictable weather have limited the use of larger helicopters and made it difficult to transport heavy equipment, Khanal said.
#WATCH | Kathmandu: On the flash floods in Nepal, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal Shisir Khanal says, "Following the devastating flash floods in Bhote Koshi River on 26 August 2026, the cause of which is not yet determined fully, the Government of Nepal has mobilised all… pic.twitter.com/oWWLWNmM7b
— ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2026
As a result, Nepal is seeking foreign assistance based on specific operational requirements identified by its own security agencies, which have experience operating in the country’s challenging terrain and conditions.
Khanal said Nepal continued to seek targeted technical support from friendly countries as needs arose. A specialised Indian tunnel rescue team has already arrived, while two Chinese search-and-rescue teams are preparing to deploy, he said.
Nepal Seeks Help To Preserve Flood Victims’ Bodies
The government is also seeking international assistance to address a growing crisis involving unidentified bodies recovered from the floods.
Khanal said hundreds of bodies were decomposing rapidly, while Nepal had limited refrigerated storage capacity to preserve large numbers of remains. The government has therefore asked foreign governments and international agencies to provide emergency refrigeration equipment and other facilities for body preservation.
Discussions are underway with organisations including the International Committee of the Red Cross, but no concrete commitment for refrigeration equipment has yet been secured, he said.
Nepal Seeks Heavy-Lift Drones For Relief
The destruction of roads and around 40 bridges has also made it difficult to transport food, medicines and other essential supplies to isolated communities.
Nepal has therefore requested heavy-lift cargo drones from international partners to deliver relief supplies to inaccessible mountain settlements, Khanal said.
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