Malaysia will deploy the SMART rescue team and contribute US$1 million in aid to Nepal following devastating floods that left 55 Malaysians uncontactable.
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will deploy its Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) to Nepal to assist in search and rescue operations following devastating floods and landslides that have killed hundreds and left thousands missing.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the National Security Council and National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), in collaboration with the Foreign Ministry, had been tasked with coordinating with the Nepalese government to enable the team to be deployed 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 yesterday.
The deployment 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, with verification of the remaining cases ongoing.
Malaysia will also contribute US$1 million to Nepal to assist victims affected by the disaster and support 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 the mountainous river systems.
As of yesterday, Nepal had reported 734 deaths and 2,498 individuals missing, while China had confirmed 16 deaths and 546 missing in Tibet, according to the latest reports.
More than 3,700 individuals 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 infrastructure have been damaged.
