Home Minister Gurung: Helicopter-Based Rapid Rescue Plan for Disasters

Home Minister Sudhan Gurung, during an on-site inspection of the Roshi River in Kavrepalanchok, stated that a rapid rescue system is essential for effective disaster management.

On Tuesday, Gurung, along with his team, visited the flood-affected area to assess the situation. He observed the actual condition of settlements and infrastructure impacted by the floods and inspected high-risk zones.

During the inspection, he emphasized that rescue teams should be deployed based on the nature of the disaster.
He said, “The type of disaster determines the kind of team required. For water rescues, a team of divers is needed, and for injuries, an immediate response team is essential.”

Gurung noted that disaster response in the past was often delayed and said the current strategy has changed.

“Earlier, there was more focus on saving costs during disasters. Now, we have adopted a strategy of deploying teams via helicopter right from the beginning,” he said.

According to him, when roads are blocked, ambulances or rescue teams cannot reach in time, so rapid deployment through helicopters has been planned.

“As soon as information about a disaster is received, necessary rescue teams are kept on standby at Tribhuvan International Airport and deployed immediately to the affected areas by helicopter,” he clarified.

During the inspection, Home Minister Gurung was welcomed by Kunsang Lama and Mim Bahadur Waiba.