New Delhi [India], August 27 (ANI): Amid heightened alerts in border regions following the flash floods in Nepal, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday sought to reassure the public, emphasising that India is prepared to handle natural disasters.
Speaking to reporters, Rijiju said that arrangements have already reached the border areas which might be affected if the flood wave generated in Nepal could travel downstream through the Gandak River and affect vulnerable districts in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
"Administration and the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) arrangements are there. Any natural disaster that happens to us, India already has preparations to handle natural disasters. So I believe that our preparation is good, and we are all very worried about the incident that has happened in Nepal," Rijiju said.
He further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has conveyed condolences and offered assistance to those affected in the floods on behalf of India.
"The Prime Minister has also given a condolence message, and the assistance offered by the Prime Minister on behalf of India to the Nepal flood victims, we all also give our condolences. Whatever be our neighbouring country or anywhere, when tragedies happen, we all express our condolences. We all stand together," he said.
Rijiju's remarks come as flash floods in Nepal's Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers have left atleast 175 dead and hundreds missing. The Nepal Tourism Board has said that 178 Indian nationals are among the 644 missing after the flash floods that struck the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and Gorkha.
A sudden flash flood in Nepal and a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) near the Nepal-China border have triggered heightened flood preparedness across Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) deploying 20 teams in the two states and authorities closely monitoring the likely downstream movement of floodwaters through the Gandak River.
However, NDRF Inspector General Narendra Singh Bundela has said that there has been no adverse flood impact reported in Indian border territories, adding that agencies are closely monitoring water discharge levels across sensitive districts such as Kushinagar and West Champaran. (ANI)
India prepared to handle natural disasters, says Kiren Rijiju amid alerts on border areas after Nepal floods
