Malaysia will deploy the SMART disaster rescue team to Nepal and contribute US$1 million following deadly floods and landslides that left Malaysians uncontactable
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will deploy its Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) to Nepal to assist search and rescue operations following devastating floods and landslides that have left hundreds dead and thousands missing.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the National Security Council (MKN) and National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), in collaboration with the Foreign Ministry, had been tasked with coordinating with the Nepalese government to facilitate the team’s deployment as soon as possible.
“The SMART team is also entrusted with locating and bringing home Malaysians affected, in addition to assisting the Malaysian Embassy in Nepal in coordinating assistance and ensuring their safety and welfare,” he said in a statement today.
The announcement comes as 55 Malaysians remain uncontactable following floods and landslides that struck Nepal’s Rasuwa district on Aug 26, according to the Foreign Ministry.
Two Malaysians previously reported as uncontactable have since been contacted, while verification of the remaining cases is ongoing.
Malaysia will also contribute US$1 million to Nepal to assist victims of the disaster and support post-disaster recovery efforts.
The floods struck along the Nepal-China border on Wednesday, devastating communities in Nepal’s Rasuwa district and parts of Tibet, destroying roads, bridges and other infrastructure and cutting off access to affected areas.
The disaster has been linked to a glacial collapse and a resulting surge of water, mud and debris through mountainous river systems.
As of today, Nepal has reported 734 deaths and 2,498 people missing, while China has confirmed 16 deaths and 546 missing in Tibet, according to the latest reports.
More than 3,700 people have been rescued in Nepal, although continuing bad weather and the risk of further flooding are hampering rescue operations.
The Malaysian Embassy in Kathmandu continues to coordinate with Nepalese authorities, the Nepal Tourism Board, travel agencies and other relevant parties to trace Malaysians affected by the disaster.
The Nepalese government has also sought international technical assistance as it continues rescue and recovery efforts in areas where roads and other infrastructure have been severely damaged.
