Nepal denies rejecting foreign rescue aid, clarifies needs

Nepal has not rejected international rescue assistance, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal stated Saturday, refuting earlier reports. Khanal explained that decisions on foreign personnel and equipment deployment hinge on the recommendations of Nepali security agencies actively engaged in ground operations.

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Decisions on deploying foreign personnel and equipment were being made on the recommendations of Nepali security agencies leading rescue operations on the ground.

The country's challenging terrain, characterized by steep slopes and narrow gorges, coupled with unpredictable weather, significantly limits the effectiveness of larger helicopters and the delivery of heavy equipment. Consequently, Nepal is strategically seeking foreign aid tailored to specific operational needs identified by its own security forces, who possess intimate knowledge of the local conditions.

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Nepal is seeking foreign assistance based on specific operational needs identified by its own security agencies, which have experience working in the country’s difficult terrain and conditions.

Specialized support is actively being sought. A tunnel rescue team from India has already arrived, and two Chinese search-and-rescue teams are preparing for deployment. The government is also addressing a growing crisis involving unidentified bodies recovered from recent floods. With limited refrigerated storage, Nepal has requested emergency refrigeration equipment and body preservation facilities from foreign governments and international agencies. Discussions are ongoing with organizations like the International Committee of the Red Cross.

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The government has therefore asked foreign governments and international agencies to provide emergency refrigeration equipment and other facilities for body preservation.

Furthermore, the extensive destruction of roads and bridges has severely impacted the transportation of essential supplies. To overcome these logistical hurdles, Nepal has requested heavy-lift cargo drones from international partners to deliver relief goods to isolated mountain communities.

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Nepal has therefore requested heavy-lift cargo drones from international partners to deliver relief supplies to inaccessible mountain settlements.