Nepal flood relief picks up as 40 charter helicopters fly from Kathmandu

Kathmandu,UPDATED: Aug 27, 2026 16:18 IST

More than 40 private helicopter charter flights carrying relief supplies to flood-hit parts of Nepal, including Rasuwa, took off from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan Airport on Thursday, authorities said. The flights were coordinated by the Nepal Army as rescue and relief work continued in areas devastated by flash floods.

The floods have caused widespread damage across three districts, with the death toll rising to 270 after 93 more bodies were recovered, Nepal Police said on Thursday. Authorities were also racing to trace thousands of missing people after the floods struck areas along the Bhotekoshi River on Wednesday in one of Nepal's worst disasters in recent years.

According to an official at the Kathmandu Airport Office, more than 40 private helicopter charter flights had been completed by 2 pm, while over 20 helicopters remained on standby at the airport, the Kantipur newspaper reported. The Nepal Army's 14th battalion, stationed at the airport, was overseeing the movement of relief materials from a collection centre to the private helicopters.

The Ministry of Home Affairs was also preparing to deploy some of the helicopters stationed at the airport for rescue and relief operations in the affected areas, the report said. Nepal Army helicopters have also been making regular flights to flood-hit areas to rescue civilians and transport relief materials. On the ground, Armed Police Force personnel and local residents were deployed to clear blocked roads, with security personnel and locals working to remove debris and restore traffic along the route.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Thursday visited Bidur Municipality in Nuwakot district to inspect flood-affected areas, according to the Prime Minister's Office. Minister for Infrastructure Development Sunil Lamshal accompanied him. The team travelled by road from Kathmandu to Bidur, one of the worst-hit areas. Shah has been actively overseeing rescue and relief efforts since floodwaters from the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa caused widespread damage in riverside settlements on Wednesday, as authorities pressed on with flights, road clearance and relief work.

With PTI Inputs

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