- 1 week ago
Devastating flash floods triggered by a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) along the Nepal-Tibet border near Rasuwagadhi have inundated the Bhote Koshi River, causing widespread destruction across Nepal.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:04Good evening, you're watching India First. I'm Gaurav Savant. Very disturbing images coming in
00:09from Nepal, devastated by a massive flash flood caused by a landslide along the Tibet-Nepal
00:19border. It's being described as a catastrophe of a massive scale. Now it's still unfolding.
00:28Numbers are changing by the minute. Latest reports as of now put the death toll at 95 and
00:38climbing. More than 400 people are still missing. Now this was a flash flood caused by what is being
00:46described as a GLOF. It's a glacier lake outburst and a flood caused by it. This was a flash flood
00:56very close to the Tibet-Nepal border. Apparently among those 400 plus missing 295
01:07foreigners, 133 of them are Indian. Nepal's Prime Minister Balain Shah has expressed deep sorrow
01:15over this massive loss of life and property caused by the flash floods. According to the Prime Minister
01:23of Nepal, teams of the Nepal Army, Nepal Armed Police and the local police, they've immediately
01:30been deployed to all these six to eight impacted districts and areas. And their main effort is to
01:39find people and rescue as many as they can. More than 200 people have been safely evacuated so far.
01:47Nepal Army and their forces, they've pressed all the helicopters that they have. Private helicopters
01:55have also been roped in. People are being advised. Now whichever way you can, help rescue people,
02:02get them to higher ground. Because the worst is yet to be over. Tibet, the government, the authorities in
02:10China, they've informed Nepal that all the water that had been accumulated, a lake was formed when
02:19there was a glacier, a glacier lake that was formed after a landslide. All the water from there hasn't
02:27been discharged just as yet. There's a lot of water that still remains accumulated and the flash floods
02:34or at least repeat flash floods may still happen. Nepal Army helicopters have been pressed into
02:39service. The flash flood, the picture that you see there, several bridges, at least 20 bridges have
02:47been washed away. More than 40 kilometers of road, they've been swept away. The injured are being brought
02:55to Kathmandu for treatment. Initial satellite imagery indicates and this is information that's now being
03:02shared by Nepal's disaster management authority. These reports indicate that the glacier lake outburst
03:09flood caused a snow and rock slide, a massive snow and rock slide near the Nepal-Tibet border and this
03:19triggered a glacier-inclusive flood in the river, 20 kilometers northeast of Rasuagadi border crossing.
03:29Rasuagadi, as it's known in local parlance or Rasuagadi, that is the Nepal-Tibet crossing.
03:36This is also the very popular Kailash Mansarovar Nepal route border crossing into the Tibetan
03:43autonomous region. The surge then tore through the Bhotekoshi river and this is where the situation
03:52became extremely alarming. From Rasuagadi, before moving downstream through Novakot and Dhading,
04:01that's the information that's coming in. Several towns, several villages, more than 40 kilometers
04:07of road, more than 20 bridges, they were just swept away and the impact is likely to reach India
04:14as we speak between 8 and 10 p.m. tonight. That's the expectation. Border areas of the Nepal-India border,
04:23whether in Bihar or pockets of Uttar Pradesh, they're already on a state of red alert. Authorities are
04:29monitoring the interconnected Narayani-Gandak river system. Bihar's chief minister, Samrat Chaudhary,
04:36he's held a series of meetings with the chief secretary, with the DGP, with other officials of
04:42the disaster management department and the secretary of the water resources department.
04:47He's directed officials to remain on a state of high alert, ensure all necessary action is taken
04:54on time and people are evacuated to safer areas. Moment, a need is felt. The NDRF team is already
05:06engaged in Indian territory. Gopal Ganj, one team has been sent there. The second NDRF team is on
05:13standby to be sent to Muzaffarpur. Nine teams have been deployed in Bihar so far. Union Home Minister
05:19Amit Shah, he had a detailed briefing of a phone conversation with the Bihar chief minister on the
05:28assessment of the situation on ground and what central assistance may be required in the state.
05:35Meanwhile, in Uttar Pradesh, Kushinagar and Maharaj Ganj, these are two areas that have been put on a
05:41state of red alert. Officials have inspected vulnerable areas along the Narayani river and very close to
05:49the Valmiki Nagar barrage. People living close to the river have been asked to remain vigilant, stay away
05:55from the riverbank and on a short notice, be prepared to move to higher ground or safer area. An
06:01additional NDRF team has been deployed in Kushinagar with this is likely to be impacted because this is
06:07an area which is very close to the Gandak river. So, the Gandak, Koshi, Ganga river, Koshi, Ganga river,
06:16you know, these three river areas in Bihar and the Gandak river area close to it in the Uttar Pradesh
06:23border. They are now on a state of red alert. Eleven teams have been deployed in Uttar Pradesh. Flood
06:28warning response operations, this is their initial task. FWR, flood warning and response is their task
06:35that's been given immediately. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he spoke to Nepal's Prime Minister
06:40Balendra Shah and conveyed not just his condolences over the loss of lives, but also reassured Nepal any
06:50assistance that may be required. India not only stands in solidarity, but will provide any assistance
06:57that's required. The Prime Minister assured the Prime Minister of Nepal of all possible humanitarian
07:02assistance, saying Indian teams are coordinating closely with Nepal on all the relief and rescue
07:08operations. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence has already put a C-130J on standby. This is a tactical
07:17transport aircraft. It can take off from very short runways and can land even on grassy lands,
07:24doesn't need a runway to land. So, a C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft is on standby to fly
07:32with the immediate assistance and teams that may have to be deployed. So, immediate assistance includes
07:40food, medicine, prefabricated sheets, rescue operations. We are also now being told that a C-17 Globemaster
07:48that's also being put on standby. That is part two of the relief operations. Moment additional assistance
07:56is required. A C-17 Globemaster will also fly in. So, you have the Indian Army teams, the Indian Air
08:02Force
08:03teams, the NDRF teams. They're all on standby to fly to Nepal. Spiritual Guru, Sadhguru says one of his groups
08:11going for the Holy Mount Kailash and Lake Mansar over Yatra, one team was caught in this devastating
08:19flash flood in Tibet. He says the group was on its way back. Seventy-seven people were at the
08:25immigration center. And when you look at those images, and just a moment from now, we'll show you
08:29that image of that immigration center that was struck in that flash flood, inundating not just the
08:36building, but much of that border town. Sadhguru says there is no official information yet about the
08:42whereabouts of those who are inside the immigration office. He said 495 people from 21 groups going for
08:50the Kailash Mansar over Yatra have already returned safely. 743 are currently in Tibet and 148 are in
08:59Nepal. Now, listen in to the NDRF detailing the situation on ground and rescue operations.
09:07A glove hit in Tibet and Nepal water. And after that, this is further down in Nepal. And it's
09:16what's coming from the country is, it's bad. So since our responsibility is from Nepal water, we have
09:24been keeping a look on the MHA. And the state government has also assessed the situation. Recently,
09:30Chief Minister of Bihar has also assessed the situation. And with that, we have two teams
09:35already in the Ghandak River Basin, West Champaran and Mazharpur. We have two teams deployed there.
09:45Jasmine Ojha is the chairperson, Mission Smile, Nepal. She joins me on this broadcast. Dhairakan Dutta is a senior
09:53journalist, a journalist, joins us from Kathmandu. Lieutenant General Shaukeen Chauhan is former
09:58Director General of SAM Rifles, former Chairman of the Ceasefire Monitoring Group. He served as India's
10:04defense attache in Nepal. He joins us on this broadcast. Shivani Sharma, Praday Upadhyay are getting
10:09us the latest on this information. We'll also have reporters joining us from Uttar Pradesh, from
10:14Bihar. But first, I quickly want to cut across to ground zero and get the latest information that's
10:20coming in from Kathmandu. Dhairakan Dutta, welcome. What's the latest that you can tell
10:25us, sir? Dhairakan, can you hear me? Okay, give me a moment. We'll try and refix that line with
10:39Dhairakan. Jasmine Ojha, what can you tell us about the current situation and the efforts that are being
10:45made to provide relief to those who may be trapped there? Okay. So, this is not flood. This is
10:54glacier frost originating from the upper Kathmandu near the Tibet border through Ross.
11:08Okay.
11:10...has caused recently and Narayani river corridors and 50 lives with hundreds of people are missing,
11:18cut off or out of contact, including some of the local people, close relatives there. Many people are
11:28trying to provide relief to the local people and are trying to go to the disaster zone, but they are
11:35not being, they are unable to reach there. This disaster compounded by structural and early warning
11:42failures were upstream. Tibetan prices a lot were overlooked by the Nepal government also. And major cost
11:50broader infrastructures like bridges and India built structure were destroyed here. Highlights a critical
11:57governance and climate fiscal policy. Okay. Give me a moment as we try and reestablish this link
12:07with you and with Dhairakan Dutta. But I want to bring in Shivani Sharma. Shivani, I believe the Indian Army
12:15and Indian
12:15Air Force are already on standby. Shivani, what can you tell us about India's assistance that's been
12:22promised to Nepal?
12:26Responder as always whenever the neighbour or any country is in crisis and Indian Air Forces to
12:32aircraft the Globemaster and the C-130J Super Hercules, they are on a standby. They are being
12:40prepared, they are being loaded with material. Rescue operations are going on in Nepal and the rescue
12:45teams from India are ready to fly to Nepal, including the military's doctors and also the material including
12:53the food and the prefabricated sheets and much more that is required in Nepal right now. And the C-130J
13:02Super Hercules
13:03is just about to fly from Hinden Air Base. That's what the sources have told us. And the C-17
13:09Globemaster will be flying tomorrow. The teams are coordinating with the requirements of Nepali
13:14authorities and whatever they require, everything is now being loaded in these two fighter, in these two
13:21aircraft of the Indian Air Force, the transport aircraft.
13:24Aircraft and they will be…
13:25Stay with me for a moment. Let me also bring in Lieutenant General Shaukeen Chauhan into this conversation. General,
13:30you've been… you've served in Nepal, you speak the language, you understand the situation
13:37on ground and you've been speaking to your friends in the Nepal army, both serving and veteran. What's the impression
13:44that you have? How bad is the situation? What kind of assistance may be required right now?
13:51I've just been speaking to my friends in Kathmandu and, of course, to the ex-Nepali
13:58army officers whom I know. What they said is this is not a flood. It's a manifestation of the
14:04peculiar strategic geography of our Himalayas. As you're aware, our Himalayas are young, they're
14:11unstable and very little was known about this flood from Tibet or from the Chinese side.
14:18And they were caught absolutely by surprise. They are actually working hard to try and link
14:25up with people in Raswa. The Bhote Koshi, as you know, as you mentioned yourself, has been
14:32hit along with… I think there were nine other Hyder projects that have also been hit here.
14:38So, they're trying their best to get to know as much information as possible, Gaurav.
14:42And the Indian army is there to help out completely wherever we can. The DA has reached out to
14:49the Nepal army. The chief has spoken with the Nepal army. And we're waiting for any kind
14:55of help that they might indicate they want at the present moment.
14:59Fair enough, sir. Let me also bring in Pankaj Das, my colleague who joins us from Kathmandu.
15:04Pankaj, I believe reports seem to indicate more than 20 bridges en route have been washed
15:10away. More than 40 kilometers of the road have been washed away from Kathmandu to Raswa.
15:16That must be hampering relief and rescue operations and also those who may be attempting to come.
15:21What's the current situation?
15:24Look, in this time, I'm just saying that we are with these people. But the most important
15:32issue is that the most important issue of the risky operation is that the most important
15:36people will reach there. It's the most important issue. The most important issue is that the
15:41weather has changed. And the second issue is that the most important issue of the helicopter
15:47is that like this helicopter, the other, the helicopter, the only helicopter is
15:49going to have to go to the hospital and have to go to the hospital. They are not
16:00close. But the whole helikopter has to be a very strongena. There are two different
16:07units. Also, if you look at the local helicopter, the helicopter will be they have to get
16:13hit. And there is the helicopter that could damage it. That would also be the
16:16fluid, the daily vehicle of a helicopter. We can really build that 14 minutes.
16:17Another connection between the pilots. And the military should be
16:17In the whole area, there is no line in the whole area.
16:20So, it's not going to be on the other side of the Alipayat.
16:22So, it's not going to be on the other side of the Alipayat.
16:27Raiya, you are with me, Pankaj.
16:28And for a moment, I want to play out these images.
16:31The border crossing.
16:33We have the biggest team of reporters in India and in Nepal tracking these developments.
16:38What's this image?
16:39This is the border crossing between Nepal and Tibet.
16:43This is where people were when suddenly, because of that glacier lake outburst,
16:50there was a huge, you know, deluge.
16:54The water just came rushing from all directions.
16:57And the people who were there, they had nowhere to go, nowhere to run.
17:01I mean, just watch those images.
17:02People were trying to run away.
17:04There's another visual which we'll just show you in a moment.
17:07There are many buses that are parked there.
17:10There are many cars that are parked there.
17:12There are many containers that are parked there.
17:15And the water, it came so fast.
17:18The buses, the trucks, the containers, they were all swept away,
17:23as were the people who were right there.
17:26Now, this is a picture that's been taken from one of the Nepal Army rescue helicopters.
17:32Bridge after bridge, road after road.
17:35And sadly, village after village, they've just been wiped away in this deluge.
17:42Watch these images and this will just show you the force of that water.
17:47I want to bring in Daira Khan Datta, senior journalist who joins us from Nepal, Daira Khan.
17:53If you can hear me, bring us the latest on the rescue operations and what may be required to take
18:02these forward.
18:10Mr. Datta, can you hear me?
18:17Prane, Minister of External Affairs also monitoring the situation as is the embassy in Kathmandu.
18:24What is the latest that we know about the missing people, missing Indians and the overall picture, Prane?
18:30Kaurav, I was just looking at the pictures released by the Nepalese army showing the difficult rescue work.
18:35And, you know, the entire area is full of the sledge, full of mud there in that area where the
18:41rescue operation is being carried out.
18:43And that's why the Ministry of External Affairs, through our mission in Kathmandu, is in touch with the Nepalese authority.
18:48I just tried speaking to the Home Secretary of Nepal and he was there in a meeting.
18:53So a lot of meetings are being conducted.
18:55And, you know, in fact, the Prime Minister of Nepal, as Pankaj was also mentioning, that he also addressed to
19:00the nation.
19:02And he also mentioned that at war footing, the relief and rescue work is being carried out.
19:06But as you know, that the communication is down.
19:10There are no light right now in the region.
19:12And therefore, the relief and rescue teams are facing a lot of difficulties in the region.
19:17And therefore, Government of India remains in touch with the Nepalese authorities.
19:20As Shivani was mentioning, the two of our strategic lift aircrafts are on standby.
19:25And Government of India, through our agencies, remain in touch with the Nepalese authorities for any probable assistance,
19:31any possible assistance, depending on the requirement from the Nepalese side.
19:36But as far as the situation right now is concerned, there is no update regarding 133 missing Indians.
19:42Because so far, the Government of Nepal has not updated that list.
19:46That how many of them have already been rescued or what exactly is happening on ground as yet.
19:52But constantly, it's a dynamic and evolving situation, Gaurav.
19:55So, that is being monitored both in India, in Ministry of External Affairs, and also in Indian Mission in Kathmandu,
20:02and through our contacts with the Nepalese authorities.
20:06Okay, there's more breaking news coming in.
20:08And I want to bring in our reporters on this as I bring in our guests from Kathmandu.
20:13In the next 24 hours, we are told the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force,
20:17they will carry out relief and rescue operations in Nepal.
20:21And they will be deployed in full force.
20:25India has shown complete promptness in fulfilling whatever tasks that may come India's way,
20:32whatever responsibilities come India's way.
20:36It is for the Nepal government to direct where and what help is required.
20:42The Indian Army and the Indian Air Force are on standby.
20:45What we are now being told, initially, two aircraft, they have been placed on stand two
20:50or in a state of alertness to be deployed immediately at the Hindan Air Base,
20:55a C-17 Globemaster and the C-130J Super Hercules.
20:59They are on standby.
21:01We are also being told the information is 133 Indian tourists and more than 400 travellers and trekkers.
21:07As of now, Nepal authorities say they remain unaccounted for.
21:13Several of them were either yathris, either going for the Kailashman Sarovar Yatra
21:19or returning after the Kailashman Sarovar Yatra.
21:22This is those who take the private tour operator in the Nepal route.
21:26The Ministry of External Affairs, when they take yathris, it is either through the Lipu Lake route,
21:31which goes via Uttarakhand, and the Nathula route, which is Sikkim.
21:36Both those routes remain operational.
21:39Information is that the Nepal route, for the next 72 hours, according to tour operators,
21:46there's a total standstill.
21:49That's the initial information.
21:51It may be delayed even further.
21:54The first priority, as far as governments in Nepal and India are concerned,
21:59is to rescue the people who are trapped or who remain cut off.
22:05Indian Army's helicopters and Indian Air Force.
22:08So, for the Indian Army, it's the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter.
22:11For the Indian Air Force, it is the Mi-17-1V and the Chinook Heavy Lift Transport Helicopters.
22:18They may be deployed for the relief and rescue operations.
22:21Indian forces have considerable experience in dealing with these HADR, you know, disaster relief
22:29that may be required in any difficult area.
22:33Jitendra Bahadur Singh, my colleague, joins me for more on this.
22:36Jitendra Bahadur Singh, my colleague, Jitendra Bahadur Singh,
22:38has been in this period of time,
22:40has been in this period of time,
22:41because it's the effect of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh both will fall.
22:47If it will be 1-2 hours, when the water will come to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh will fall?
22:53What do you know?
22:53Thank you very much.
23:30Thank you very much.
23:53Thank you very much.
24:43Thank you very much.
24:58Thank you very much.
25:44Thank you very much.
26:16Thank you very much.
26:21Thank you very much.
26:41Thank you very much.
27:00Thank you very much.
27:07Thank you very much.
27:34Thank you very much.
28:04Thank you very much.
28:06Thank you very much.
28:15Thank you very much.
28:21Thank you very much.
28:31Thank you very much.
28:38Thank you very much.
28:41Thank you very much.
28:50Thank you very much.
29:12Thank you very much.
29:21Thank you very much.
29:24Thank you very much.
29:28Thank you very much.
29:32Thank you very much.
29:36Thank you very much.
29:49Thank you very much.
29:52Thank you very much.
29:53Thank you very much.
29:54waters flow into India. So, yes, Bihar, Ubi, and Uttarakhand are states that need to be very
30:00careful about what is going to happen by tonight, probably tomorrow, early morning. And these are
30:06issues that we would be also looking at and deploying our teams there at the moment.
30:12Sir, stay with me, Shivani. You've been speaking to your sources in ADGPI or, you know, military
30:16communications. What more do we know about the kind of efforts that the help that is required?
30:22We know of a C-17 Globemaster and the C-130J that are on standby. But what about helicopters,
30:29whether it's Dhruv's for the army or Chinooks or Mi-17s for the air force?
30:34See, kind of all these assets are on a standby. As the requisite comes from Nepal, they will be
30:39flown in. As of now, the two transport aircraft are ready, ready to fly. Another important thing
30:46out here is that the army is also contributing in its own way. We know that the engineers of the
30:52army are deployed in such situations where they build bridges that helps in the rescue situation.
30:58We've seen in Wynard how the engineers of the Indian army have been very successfully deployed
31:03with their bridge-making capabilities. We are also sending the earth-moving machinery out there
31:09in Nepal, including the doctors, the team of doctors. And we have seen the doctors from the
31:15Indian army, the Indian navy, Indian air force. They have been there in action whenever such a
31:19calamity strikes anywhere across the globe. So every team, every aspect is being looked into.
31:26Coordination is going on between the authorities in Nepal and the Indian armed forces. They are
31:31monitoring the situation. They are filling the aircraft with whatever is required for
31:37Nepal's rescue right now. Helicopters will also be pushed into action as required. And on ground,
31:43we see that the SSB is also deployed, especially in the zones that are on a high alert near the
31:50India-Nepal
31:51border when we talk about the Kosi Ganga Ji. So everything is being monitored. Prime Minister has spoken to the
31:58PM of Nepal, Amit Shah, the Home Minister, has spoken to the Chief Minister of Samrat.
32:02Let me go full-frame for a moment on these pictures before I bring in Pranay. Just take a look
32:07at this image and this will show you the intensity of that, of the deluge that just came.
32:14Pranay, this is the Tibet border crossing from Nepal. Huge building, so many cars, so many trucks, so many lorries
32:25and container trucks that are parked there. But then in a moment, look at the force with which it is.
32:32The water comes and almost nothing remains, Pranay.
32:36Absolutely, Gaurav. This is the scariest picture of this glacial outburst. And in fact, it was captured in a Chinese
32:43CCTV camera because this visual was captured by the Chinese side.
32:47And in fact, the concerns are also there not only about the missing Indians in Nepal, but also what happened
32:53on the Chinese side.
32:54Because as you and I know that many people take this Nepal route to do and perform their Kailash Mansar
33:00over Yatra.
33:01And in fact, one of my friends who is from the United States has just reached today in Darchin.
33:06He also took the same route. I spoke to many people on ground and some of them are on their
33:11way to Kailash Mansar over Yatra.
33:13Those who have crossed this Rasuwa border. And people are there in large numbers.
33:17So what exactly happened? The government of India is also concerned about those on the Chinese side because the impact
33:23must have been there on the Chinese side as well.
33:26We do not know the exact number of Indians who got impacted because of this deluge or this forceful impact
33:35of water of this glacial burst captured in this visual.
33:38But this remains a matter of concern. And in fact, the government of India is trying to ascertain and check
33:46the facts and the veracity of those details that what exactly has happened.
33:51You know, this is the easiest route for the Kailash Mansar over Yatra.
33:56Last month, I was at Mansar over also across the Yamdwar for the Kailash Mansar over Yatra.
34:03But we've taken a different route. Since we were with the Chinese government, we'd flown from Delhi to Shanghai to
34:10Lhasa to Alipulan and then by road first to Mansar over and then to the Holy Mount Kailash.
34:16But for those who travel privately or operate with the tour operators between Tibet, Nepal and India, they take this
34:25route.
34:25From Kathmandu or other parts of Nepal, they come to that border belt, exactly this area, Rasuagadi as that place
34:36is called.
34:36This is where they cross over into Tibet, either by road or by helicopter.
34:43And then they come close to Mansar over and then they drive to Mansar over and then Kailash.
34:48This is a very convenient route, Pankaj.
34:51But today, it's just proven to be a very, very difficult route.
34:56After that, glacier burst, glacier lake burst, Pankaj.
35:00Now the cleanest state is, what do you say about the government's government, what do you say about the government's
35:05government, how many people can get out of it now?
35:08What do you want to leave them? What do you want to leave Nepal's government and Nepal's government?
35:13Why do you want to leave Nepal's government and Iran?
35:43Yes.
35:43The first thing is to save people. The first thing is to save people.
35:49Because the idea of the government is not even impossible to save people.
35:55The government has never thought about how many people are dying, how many people are dying, how many people are
36:01dying.
36:02We are talking about the risk.
36:06We have said that the water is getting the water from the bottom.
36:14The whole helipad has been destroyed.
36:18We have to face a lot of difficulties.
36:21But the reason why there is a problem is that
36:23I don't think it's possible to be a problem in this situation.
36:29How can people die?
36:32Because the way we are watching television,
36:36we can think of it.
36:39The way the walls are in the water,
36:43the walls are in the water.
36:49You are saying exactly right, I mean, if the water comes to 30 feet, like the helicopter pilot was telling
36:57you,
36:57and that's that image that you see taken from a helicopter.
37:01These are the Aluit or the Cheetah helicopters of the Indian Air Force or Army that are now flying with
37:09the Nepal Army
37:10and have flown with the Nepal Army on some of these helicopters.
37:15They're able to not only fly low, but also help winch up people.
37:21That's the effort.
37:22Now, some of these helicopters, they show you the kind of devastation on ground.
37:2730 feet high water, big bridges, iron bridges that were just swept away because of this massive, massive deluge of
37:38snow
37:38and boulders that came with the water.
37:42Such was the intensity.
37:43There's a message that's been put out by the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah, and I quickly want to get
37:49to this message.
37:50The Home Minister has taken to social media platform Edge to say,
37:53The devastation caused by the floods in Nepal is deeply tragic.
37:59My condolences go out to the families who have lost their loved ones in this disaster.
38:05The government of India stands with Nepal during this hour of crisis.
38:11I've spoken to Chief Ministers of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh regarding this disaster in Nepal.
38:17The NDRF along with local administration and relief and rescue teams have been placed on a state of high alert
38:25in the border areas that could be affected.
38:28So, border areas, especially Bihar border and Uttar Pradesh border, all along the Kosi-Gandak-Ganga belt, they will be
38:37impacted in a couple of hours from now.
38:40As Jitendra Bahadur Singh, my colleague, was just telling us, in the next couple of hours, that flood water from
38:47the Tibet-Nepal border flowing through these rivers will be reaching the border in India.
38:55And Bihar and Uttar Pradesh will be impacted.
38:58Shivani, I believe, apart from the NDRF, the National Disaster Response Teams and the State Disaster Response Teams, even the
39:07armed forces have been put on standby for domestic operations.
39:11Should there be a need?
39:13Gaurav, the deployments are already in place.
39:17The SSB, who usually stays on the India-Nepal border, has already been deployed there.
39:24It's on a standby.
39:25That's what we were getting through the sources.
39:27And a high alert situation has already been alarmed.
39:31And the complete border regions, especially which are in the close vicinity of these rivers, the Kosi-Gandak-Ganga, there
39:39the forces are in a coordinated manner, not only monitoring, but they are ready for any kind of action and
39:45a situation.
39:45The NDRF, the NDMA, the Army, the armed forces who are there, they are working in close coordination with the
39:52agencies, the state police out there.
39:54The chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have already given out that direction to all the forces to be
40:03on an alert and to look for the preemptive measures so that these river levels, when they rise, what can
40:09be done?
40:09The people have been alarmed about evacuating those places which are the low-lying areas in these river wells.
40:14I want to bring in Darshan, I want to bring in Darshan also into this conversation from Kathmandu.
40:19Darshan, a large number of foreign tourists, we know about 133 plus Indians.
40:24In fact, Sadhguru also put out some information that some people from his group, they were at the immigration office,
40:32they remain unaccounted for.
40:34And I will get more information on what Sadhguru said in just a moment.
40:37But Darshan, what more can you tell us about other tourists and pilgrims from other countries who are still unaccounted
40:45for?
40:46Right. So, more than 348 tourists, including 105 Indians, were missing.
40:55So, there were tourists, I think five were from the United States, Malaysia.
41:01And, you know, the area where the flood hit was the pilgrimage side and just three, four days away is
41:12the Jannahipurnima and Ratcha Bandhan.
41:15So, during this time, there were a lot of domestic as well as people who believe in, you know, Hindu
41:22religion were during the trip.
41:25So, it was affected and as per the sources from the Home Minister and the Nepal army, you know, few
41:33helicopters were flown in the affected area.
41:37But as it was getting darker from 5 p.m., you know, enough rescue operations was unable to be made
41:48because of the darkness and the gloomy weather.
41:51That's an interesting point to make there. General Chauhan, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Kathmandu, when he took
41:57over as Prime Minister and went there for the SAAC summit in the Nepali Parliament,
42:04he'd made a statement that every war that India won, Nepal had shed blood in that war for India.
42:12And this perhaps is a time that India can play a very critical role like we have in the past,
42:20but more so now in ensuring that any assistance that Nepal requires, we are there.
42:26So, what kind of assistance should be ready to be deployed?
42:30Medicines, doctors, engineers, helicopters? What is it that India needs to provide forthwith?
42:39The first aspect, Gaurav, is the idea that we have always, as you said, provided assistance.
42:46Now, whatever Nepal requires, whether it be in terms of aerial access, whether it be in terms of doctors, whether
42:52it be in terms of NDRF teams,
42:54or whether it be in terms of army engineers or replacement bridges, we are ready for everything that can be
43:00done.
43:00We are ready to provide them help as far as Gemini boats are concerned.
43:04We are ready to carry out recce along these areas.
43:08We are ready to give any kind of satellite pictures if there are more floods developing.
43:14All these aspects are whatever the information is, whatever in terms of material assets are concerned, everything is provided by
43:21us.
43:21And you are aware that in every kind of disaster that Nepal has faced, India and Nepal have stood side
43:28by side, shoulder by shoulder,
43:30and kept on the process for final rescue.
43:34We have always done our best for Nepal, and Nepal is aware of that.
43:37And we have carried out a large number of exercises.
43:41Civilizational brothers, these two countries, India and Nepal, civilizational brothers.
43:46I mean, it's said civilizationally, Roti Baiti ka Saad, Mata Sita comes from Janakpur, Shri Ram is from Ayodhya.
43:56So, it's a relationship, Pankaj, that goes back in time.
44:00It's, you know, Roti Baiti ka Saad, Bhai Baiti ka Saad, Bhai Daesh hai Nipal.
44:05Toh kis tarha ki madad ki abhi awashaktah hai Nipal ko, joh bharat ko bilkul abhi tainat kar dheni chahi
44:13ho?
44:13Or kya Nipal ke manh mein ye bharosa hai ki har sambhav madad hai aur pahunchei ghi?
44:21Jee, biberkul jaisa hi bharat ke pradhaan mentri nnei nipal ke pradhaan mentri nnei nipal ko barachit ki,
44:25ushi barachit ke douara mne, bharat ni akan ne akme kada se har sambhashakyae ka joh offer dhiyya,
44:30ushko uska har svi Nipal ke pradhaan mentri nne sricohtar kar dhiyo hai aur kaha hai ki,
44:34hima dat kamu woha sabi suchi kuchhi dihar nnei shokhen ge,
44:37joh Nipal ko qiraf chahiye ho ba.
44:40Sakshi jamauka yaha jaruri johan,
44:43yaan johan loog dhledhar ho goyej hin,
45:06Thank you very much.
45:23Thank you very much.
45:45This is from India's External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jai Shankar.
45:47I quickly want to cut across to it.
45:49External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jai Shankar has given details of India's relief and rescue operations.
45:55Dr. Jai Shankar says 10 tons of HADR.
46:01This is the disaster relief material.
46:05This is being provided to Nepal.
46:09Essential medicines have been dispatched to support Nepal's response to the devastating floods.
46:15The External Affairs Minister says that our thoughts are with the bereaved families and all those who stand affected.
46:22In face of this challenge, India stands with Nepal and its people.
46:28And Darshan, that belief is there in Nepal that whether it was last time that devastating earthquake or the situation
46:38right now,
46:38these are two brothers, the two nations, they stand shoulder to shoulder in ensuring that, you know,
46:45Nepal is able to come out of it as quickly as possible.
46:51Because, you know, Nepal or India is a good neighbor and India used to be always there to respond fast
47:13as a neighbor.
47:14So, I think Indian support is really needed in the response and probably the helicopters on the rescue operations so
47:26that it will be easier for Nepal army and Nepal government to make the operations in the area affected.
47:35Oh, absolutely.
47:36So, 10 tons is what the External Affairs Minister writes, humanitarian aid and disaster relief material,
47:4310 tons of humanitarian aid and disaster relief assistance already on standby.
47:48They've been dispatched.
47:50They've already been dispatched.
47:51Okay, information that's coming in, 10 tons of assistance and essential medicines have been dispatched to support Nepal's response to
47:59the devastating floods.
48:00But for a moment, I want to show you some of those images and some of the worst images that
48:07they're truly horrifying of the floods that hit Nepal.
48:14I want to show you that this is that first image of the deluge at the border crossing.
48:22This is the Nepal-Tibet border crossing.
48:24This is where a number of people were there at the visa office.
48:29There are several lorries and containers because there's also the customs barrier here that has to be crossed between Nepal
48:36and Tibet.
48:37But you see the impact of the deluge.
48:41I now want to move to that next image which shows you the speed with which water gushed.
48:49Watch these images for a moment.
48:57Watch these images for a moment.
48:59I wanna make sure you are taking aет while for the commissioner.
49:17the village in the wake of this deluge was submerged several houses destroyed several houses just
49:32washed away with the floods also a shocking image I want to show you that image of a bridge that
49:40was
49:41just swept away and the water it came with such intensity that several buildings on either side of
49:49the river the houses were also destroyed and swept away in these floods caused by the glaciated lake
49:59outburst and the flood caused by it sadly there could be more watch this image you will see water
50:08level rising you see that solid iron bridge that's used to cross over from one side of the town to
50:15the other this is not just watch how quickly water level rises initially it's low then as high as the
50:26bridge and then you will just watch higher than the bridge and the bridge is swept away as are
50:34unfortunately several houses on either side this is in this is a watch that bridge was just swept away
50:47I want to stay full frame on those images for a moment as you watch that bridge being swept away
50:56truly truly that is the speed and intensity everything in the wake of this water was destroyed when you
51:05watch those holes being swept away and that very powerful iron bridge being swept away you'll see many
51:12vehicles standing very vehicles on either side of the bridge being swept away in this flash flood there's a
51:22lot of water that still remains accumulated in that glaciated lake outburst area so the first part of
51:30the flood watch that bridge just gets swept away that's the intensity of the water and the worst may still
51:40be in
51:41store as water levels rise the impact will be felt in India in a couple of hours from now anytime
51:49between
51:50nine and midnight is when the impact is likely to be in that border belt of
51:58Uttar Pradesh and Bihar I want to thank all our guests who join me on this special broadcast and our
52:05reporters who are
52:06tracking every development very very closely we pray for our friends in Nepal we pray that they're able to come
52:15out of this as quickly as possible and that every assistance that they require
52:19reaches them as quickly as possible we'll be tracking that story very closely that is all I have for you
52:26on this special broadcast
52:28many thanks for watching news and updates continue on India today's stay with us
52:32uh uh
52:33uh
52:34uh
52:34uh
52:36guys this is live
52:38oh
52:39oh
52:39oh
52:41oh
52:41oh
52:41oh
52:42oh
52:42oh
52:42oh
52:45oh
52:46oh
52:50oh
52:51oh
52:53oh
52:53oh
52:54oh
52:55oh
52:56oh
52:57oh
52:57oh
52:57oh
52:57oh
53:00oh
53:01oh
53:10oh
53:11oh
Comments