UK offers £5 million and emergency responders to flood-hit Nepal

The UK has offered £5 million and emergency response support to Nepal after devastating flash floods killed hundreds and left more than a thousand missing, including around 33 British nationals. King Charles III and other British leaders expressed solidarity with affected communities

London: The UK has offered £5 million and emergency responders to Nepal after flash floods in the country claimed hundreds of lives and left more than a thousand people missing, including around 33 British nationals.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham on Thursday described the scenes emerging from the region as “devastating” and urged British nationals caught up in the crisis to follow guidance from local authorities.

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He said the immediate action already taken by the UK included deploying consular support staff to the affected area to facilitate round-the-clock assistance for British nationals.

“It’s a devastating picture that is emerging from what has happened in Nepal,” Burnham told reporters during a visit to South Wales.

“An offer has been made to send emergency responders to the region, but that’s obviously a matter for the Nepalese government. We’ve also offered £5 million to help with the response effort.

“Obviously, there are a number of British nationals who are currently thought to be missing, and we’ll be providing all the support we can to their families in what is a very distressing and devastating situation,” he said.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla said they were “heartbroken” to hear of the devastating flooding and expressed their “profound sympathy” with all those who have lost loved ones and those anxiously awaiting news of friends and relatives.

“Many in the United Kingdom have strong, deep and personal ties to this part of the world,” the royals said in a statement.

“Our hearts also go out to the families of all the police and Armed Forces personnel who lost their lives while carrying out their courageous duty in the service of others, and we give our deepest thanks to those who have responded so selflessly in undertaking rescue efforts.

“Our special thoughts and prayers remain with all those affected and, as always, the United Kingdom stands ready to help support those in need,” they said.

The Prince and Princess of Wales, William and Catherine, also expressed their heartbreak at the “shocking” scale of the devastation.

“We are thinking of everyone caught up in this terrible disaster. Our thoughts are especially with the families facing an unbearable wait for news and with the communities confronting such immense loss.

“We are incredibly grateful to all those working in such dangerous conditions to rescue people and support those affected,” they said.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was looking to provide humanitarian support following a request by the Nepali government for food, shelter and health services.

However, it indicated that comprehensive humanitarian assessments were likely to take some time because of the scale of the damage.

“I spoke to the Nepali Foreign Minister, Shisir Khanal, this morning [Thursday] and expressed Britain’s solidarity and deepest condolences for the disaster that has occurred,” said Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband.

“I thanked him for the efforts of the Nepali government in support of British nationals in the area. I also offered financial, search and rescue, and other assistance to aid the disaster response. Above all, I told him we will do everything we can to help Nepal in its hour of need,” he said.

The Foreign Office said it was engaging with development partners, donors and international allies on a coordinated response in the region following the natural disaster, which caused massive landslides on Wednesday.

Global funds to which the UK contributes are already disbursing money to support the humanitarian response, including the IFRC Disaster Response Emergency Fund.

Flash floods along the Nepal-Tibet border caused rivers to burst their banks and covered populated areas in thick mud, burying houses and creating difficult conditions for rescuers.

The Nepal Centre for Disaster Management described the scene as being like a “tsunami from the sky”, saying villages had been “completely wiped out”.