Nepal floods: US, India, UK, China and others step up aid as death toll nears 800

The flash floods and mudslides that struck the Nepal-China border region on August 26 have triggered a major international relief effort, with countries sending cash, relief material, rescue personnel and technical assistance. But the contributions are not directly comparable, with some governments announcing financial pledges while others are providing supplies and specialist teams.

Here is a look at what major countries and international agencies have announced or delivered so far.

The US: $3.6 million

The US Department of State said on August 29 that it was providing more than $3.6 million in life-saving humanitarian assistance, including up to three months of emergency food assistance for as many as 10,000 flood-affected households.

“There is no higher priority for us than the safety of American citizens. Our embassies in Nepal and China are working closely to assist Americans and support disaster relief efforts,” the department said in a post on X.

The latest commitment comes on top of an initial $500,000 in emergency funding announced earlier in the week through the department’s global award with Catholic Relief Services. The funding is intended to support shelter, relief supplies and water, sanitation and hygiene services.

The US Embassy in Kathmandu said Chargé d’Affaires Scott Urbom dispatched the first shipment of emergency supplies to Nepal on August 28.

India: 68.5 tonnes, four flights and technical teams

India has so far airlifted 68.5 tonnes of relief material to Nepal through four Indian Air Force sorties, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

The initial 10-tonne consignment was sent on August 26, followed by a 37.5-tonne shipment the next day. Subsequent sorties carried additional relief material as well as specialised personnel and equipment for search-and-rescue operations.

The fourth flight, carrying 11 tonnes of assistance, arrived in Nepal on August 30. The Indian response also includes medical and forensic experts and equipment for DNA analysis to help identify mortal remains.

India has also provided equipment for Bailey bridges to restore road connectivity. Sixteen trucks carrying equipment for a 230-foot single-lane modular steel bridge have reached Nepal, while equipment for seven more bridges is expected to follow, Jaishankar said in a social media post on August 30.

UK: £5 million

The UK has pledged £5 million in humanitarian assistance for Nepal’s flood response.

The UK government said in an August 28 statement that the package would support the Government of Nepal’s response through UN, Red Cross and NGO interventions. It also said additional humanitarian expertise was being deployed.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said the same day that a Rapid Deployment Team would arrive in Kathmandu on August 29 to support British nationals and their families affected by the flooding.

Canada: CAD 5 million

Global Affairs Canada, the Canadian government department responsible for foreign affairs, international development and consular services, said on August 28 that Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Secretary of State (International Development) Randeep Sarai had announced CAD 5 million in humanitarian assistance for Nepal.

The funding will support emergency food, shelter, water, sanitation and health services through UN agencies, the Red Cross and Canadian NGO partners.

Australia: A$5 million

Australia has announced an A$5 million humanitarian assistance package for communities affected by the floods.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong also announced additional consular support for Australians affected by the disaster.

Switzerland: About $1 million through the UN

UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal Lila Pieters Yahia said on August 27 that Switzerland had provided about $1 million to the UN for the Nepal response.

The funding forms part of the wider international humanitarian response to the floods.

China: Cash pledged, amount undisclosed — 50 tonnes of aid arrives

China has announced emergency financial assistance and relief supplies for Nepal, although the amount of the cash component was not disclosed in the initial official announcement.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Nepali Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal during a phone call on August 29 that China’s assistance package for Nepal, comprising emergency cash and humanitarian aid, was being implemented and that Chinese relief supplies would soon arrive in Kathmandu, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry readout.

By August 30, China’s relief supplies had arrived in Kathmandu and tunnel rescue experts had reached the affected areas, China’s National Agency for International Development Cooperation said, according to Xinhua.

The $229 million figure: what does it actually cover?

A separate figure of $229 million came from UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal Lila Pieters Yahia during a UN briefing on August 27.

Yahia said the World Bank, India, China and the US had together committed to support Nepal’s government relief fund with $229 million.

The figure should not be read as the combined total of the bilateral humanitarian packages listed above, as it refers to commitments towards Nepal’s government relief fund and is therefore not directly comparable with individual emergency-aid anno uncements.

Separately, Reuters reported on August 27 that the World Bank country director had told Nepal’s Finance Ministry that up to NPR 25 billion, or about $163.55 million, in emergency aid could be provided, citing Nepal’s Kantipur newspaper.

UN: $2.5 million from CERF

The UN has also released emergency funding through its Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

Lila Pieters Yahia said during the August 27 UN briefing that $2.5 million had been released from CERF for the Nepal response.

The figure is separate from the $229 million in commitments towards Nepal’s government relief fund.

Red Cross: Nearly CHF 1 million released, CHF 25 million appeal

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) released nearly CHF 1 million on August 26 through its Disaster Response Emergency Fund to support the Nepal Red Cross Society’s immediate lifesaving response.

On August 27, the IFRC launched a CHF 25 million Emergency Appeal for a wider response to the floods. The 24-month appeal will support shelter, cash assistance, health, household relief items, water, sanitation and hygiene, mental health and psychosocial support, and restoring family links.

Rescue teams are continuing to work through damaged roads, collapsed bridges and disrupted infrastructure to reach the worst-hit communities, while specialist teams are assisting with search-and-rescue operations.

Nepal’s authorities have also warned of rising water levels in the Bhote Koshi River, urging residents and relief teams downstream to remain vigilant.