Jaishankar reviews Nepal flood situation, efforts to locate Indians
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday, on August 27, reviewed the situation arising from the devastating floods in Nepal and said India was making urgent efforts to ascertain the safety and whereabouts of Indians stranded in the affected areas.
Jaishankar held a high-level meeting with Foreign Secretary and officials of the Ministry of External Affairs, which was also attended virtually by India's ambassadors in Kathmandu and Beijing.
“Urgent efforts are underway to ascertain the status and well-being of all Indians in the flood-affected areas,” Jaishankar said in a social media post after the meeting.
He said the Ministry of External Affairs was coordinating with various Union ministries, state governments, tour operators and other agencies to establish contact with Indians affected by the disaster.
“We are working closely with the Nepali side, both on this aspect and on the relief efforts,” he said.
The review came after Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said earlier on Thursday that nearly 300 Indian tourists were among thousands of people reported missing after devastating flash floods swept through parts of the Nepal-Tibet border.
Jaishankar said India's diplomatic missions in the region were closely involved in efforts to assess the situation and assist those affected.
The flash floods have caused widespread devastation in parts of Nepal, with at least 177 people reported dead, according to Nepalese authorities.
India is also coordinating with the Nepalese authorities on relief operations as efforts continue to trace missing people and assess the impact of the disaster.
