A United Arab Emirates search and rescue team landed in Nepal on Friday and has begun operations with local authorities to find survivors of floods and mudslides that struck the Himalayan country on August 26. The death toll has exceeded 1,300, with more than 5,500 people still missing. The disaster also affected the Chinese region of Tibet.
The Emirati emergency response team comprises members of the UAE Joint Operations Command, Dubai Police search and rescue unit, and the UAE Aid Agency. Members include disaster relief experts, medical evacuation specialists, and first-aid personnel.
The rescue team has inspected flood-affected areas to assess damage and coordinate relief efforts with Nepali authorities. Field operations to support search and rescue work were underway as of Friday.
Two men were pulled alive from a tunnel linked to the Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station on Friday, nine days after the floods swept through the facility where they worked. Sanjaya Shah and Kabir Maharjan were airlifted to an army hospital in Kathmandu; the body of a third worker was also found.
The UAE has transported 148 tonnes of aid—including food, shelter materials and power generators—on three planes. The assistance is part of a $10 million aid package announced by the UAE Aid Agency under the directive of President Sheikh Mohamed, and relief teams have begun distributing food and essential goods in affected areas.
