US announces $31 million for Nepal flood recovery, bridges and drones

The United States has announced USD 31 million in funding for Nepal to support flood recovery, including the construction of bridges, help for affected communities and the deployment of drones for future disaster recovery efforts. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker after her meeting with Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly session.

According to a statement from the US Department of State, Hooker also conveyed the United States' heartfelt sympathies to all those affected by the devastating floods in Nepal, including the families of around 70 Americans who remain unaccounted for. The latest funding takes total US assistance for Nepal's flood response and recovery efforts to more than USD 36 million.

During the meeting, Hooker announced plans to work with Congress to provide USD 10 million for permanent, custom-built bridges being sourced from an American company. The statement said these bridges would restore critical transport infrastructure in affected areas and strengthen regional connectivity.

She also announced plans to provide USD 8 million in additional assistance for water, sanitation and hygiene, along with shelter, protection, livelihoods and winterisation support for affected communities. In addition, the department plans to provide USD 13 million worth of US-made drones to better support future disaster recovery efforts.

The statement said the US would continue to work closely with the Nepal government to identify and deliver additional assistance where it is most needed. At least 1,451 people were killed and more than 6,000 are missing after the floods that struck the Rasuwagadhi region near Nepal's border with Tibet on August 26.