As in the Rasuwa flood, drones have been used to distribute relief in the areas affected by the Budhigandaki flood. They were brought in after the flood blocked both roads and footpaths.
Four drones were used in the relief operation. A team of 11 technicians was deployed from the Armed Police Force (APF) headquarters to fly them.
“Two drones carried relief materials from Philim, the centre of Chumnubri Rural Municipality,” said DSP Regmi. “The other two carried them from Khorlabesi in Dharche Rural Municipality.”
He said that food grains, tents, tarpaulins, medicines and other relief materials were delivered to the affected areas by drone.
According to him, the drones made 87 flights from Philim and 64 from Khorlabesi. In places where the flood washed away roads and footpaths and cut off all movement, relief was flown in by drone and then distributed to the victims.
“We taught locals, guiding them over video call or phone, how to unload the supplies sent by drone. After that, we loaded the goods and sent them, and they unloaded them,” DSP Regmi said.
Drones also carried fuel for the dozers and excavators deployed for road repair. About 3,500 litres of fuel were transported this way, he said. The fuel was used to reopen the Benighat-Arughat-Larke road, which the flood had blocked.
Drones were used mainly to distribute relief in Pangsing, Jagat, Yarubagar, Kerauja and other places in northern Gorkha. The relief materials were transported by drone from October 18 to 20.
The drones used in the operation can carry goods up to a distance of 6 km. Each can reportedly carry up to 85 kg at a time. The drones were taken to Philim by a Nepali Army helicopter and to Khorlabesi by road.
DSP Regmi said the APF has been deployed continuously in rescue and relief since the flood. “We went in person to rescue and provide relief wherever we could reach, and used drones where we could not,” he said.
