Malaysia will send the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) to Nepal following devastating floods that have left communities in urgent need of assistance.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the deployment in a statement on Sunday (Aug 30), with the National Security Council and National Disaster Management Agency instructed to coordinate closely with the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Nepalese government.
The agencies will work to ensure the rescue team can be deployed as quickly as possible to support ongoing search and rescue (SAR) operations in the affected areas.
Apart from helping local authorities locate victims, the SMART team will also be tasked with finding and evacuating Malaysians affected by the disaster.
The rescue personnel will work alongside the Malaysian Embassy in Nepal to coordinate humanitarian assistance and monitor the welfare of Malaysians who remain stranded or affected by the floods.
The deployment comes as Nepal continues to deal with the aftermath of severe flooding, with rescue efforts focused on reaching communities cut off or affected by the disaster.
The Malaysian Government is also extending financial assistance to support Nepal’s immediate relief operations and longer-term recovery efforts.
Anwar said Malaysia would provide US$1 million in aid to Nepal as the country works to recover from the widespread devastation caused by the floods.
The combined deployment of emergency personnel and financial assistance reflects Malaysia’s efforts to provide both immediate humanitarian support and assistance for Nepal’s recovery in the wake of the disaster.
