Key Points
- The UAE sent disaster relief, medical evacuation and first-aid specialists to support Nepal’s flood response.
- Two hydropower workers were rescued alive after nine days and flown to Kathmandu in stable condition.
- The mission adds personnel to $10 million in aid and 128 tonnes of emergency supplies.
The latest
The UAE has deployed a specialist humanitarian team to Nepal as rescue operations continue after the August 26 floods and landslides, combining on-the-ground expertise with a $10 million aid package and two emergency supply shipments totaling 128 tonnes. The move places Emirati rescue, evacuation and first-aid specialists alongside Nepalese responders confronting damaged infrastructure, unstable terrain and large numbers of missing people. It follows the rescue of two hydropower workers alive after nine days underground.
Details
- Team composition: Personnel from the UAE Joint Operations Command, Dubai Police’s search and rescue team, and the UAE Aid Agency are taking part. Their roles include disaster relief, medical evacuation and first aid, giving the mission both emergency-response and humanitarian capabilities on the ground.
- Supply deliveries: The Emirates sent 83 tonnes of food and shelter materials, followed by a second aircraft carrying 45 tonnes. That load included basic food items, essential goods and power generators intended for communities affected by widespread destruction.
- Aid package: The $10 million humanitarian allocation is supporting critical relief operations through the UAE Aid Agency under directives from President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It adds financial backing to the personnel and supplies already committed by the Emirates.
- Local coordination: The UAE Aid Agency and the UAE embassy in Kathmandu are working with Nepalese authorities and international organisations to deliver assistance. The coordination links the Emirati package with local rescue and recovery priorities as affected communities seek food, shelter, power and emergency support.
- Tunnel survivors: Rescuers pulled a mechanical foreman and a mechanical supervisor from the Trishuli 3A hydropower tunnel. Lawmaker Shri Ram Neupane announced the second rescue on Facebook shortly after Army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Raja Ram Basnet confirmed the first. Both men were stable and flown to Kathmandu for hospital treatment.
- Scale of search: The Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal said at least 557 workers are missing from the project along the Trishuli River, while around 115 people are believed trapped inside the main tunnel. Search crews continue operating despite damaged access and unstable ground.
- Flood aftermath: The August 26 floods and landslides swept away homes and infrastructure and left large numbers of people missing. The destruction triggered international humanitarian assistance while Nepalese authorities maintained rescue and recovery operations across affected areas.
Between the lines
The UAE response combines specialist personnel, direct funding and two cargo deliveries rather than relying on a single form of assistance. That mix supports immediate search and medical work while also addressing food, shelter, essential goods and electricity needs in disaster-hit communities.
What’s next
Search operations at Trishuli 3A are continuing. The key near-term indicator is whether crews can reach more of the roughly 115 people believed trapped in the main tunnel.
