Following the calamitous earthquake in Nepal on 25 April 2015, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, telephoned the Prime Minister of Nepal, the Rt. Hon. Sushil Koirala and conveyed condolences and sympathies on the tragic loss of life and damage to property. On 26th April the Government of Sri Lanka dispatched an initial 48 member relief and rescue team comprising of doctors, engineers and other personnel from the Sri Lankan armed forces. The contingent commenced relief and rescue work in the Dolalghat area in the Kavre District as designated by the Government of Nepal. The Sri Lankan contingent was subsequently strengthened to 140 members on 29th April with the arrival of a second group.

The Sri Lanka Medical Team has to date, treated 1897 victims, affected by the earthquake that includes both medical and surgical cases at Dolalghat and Panchkhal. The team has also conducted  mobile clinics in remote hilly areas such as Palanchowk, Sipaghat and Sipang.  Members of the Engineering Corps of the Sri Lankan Armed forces have cleared approximately 5.1 kms of roads in Dolalghat and six (06) surrounding areas, to make them passable for ambulances and vehicles carrying relief material. The Engineering Corps have  also cleared the environs of the Bhagwati Hindu Temple in Palanchowk and enabled  devotees to perform religious rituals. They have also restored a suspension bridge in Sipaghat and established water distribution points at Dolalghat. 

As part of the ongoing relief efforts, the Government of Sri Lanka has sent three SLAF Aircraft to Nepal with approximately 25 tonnes of relief material consisting of medicine, medical equipment, rice, water, tents, blankets and warm clothes, milk powder and canned food which have been handed over to the Government of Nepal for distribution to the needy. Sri Lanka will send additional cargo flights with relief material to Nepal shortly. 

A Sri Lankan delegation headed by the Minister of Disaster Management, Hon. AHM Fowzie, arrived in Kathmandu on 29 April 2015 and met with Nepali President the Rt. Hon. Dr. Ram Baran Yadav and Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Sushil Koirala, and conveyed the condolences of behalf of President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, and the people of Sri Lanka to the Government of Nepal on the tragic loss of life, damage and destruction to properties, including historical and cultural monuments and religious sites in Nepal. The Sri Lankan delegation assured the Government of Nepal of its continuous assistance for relief and rescue operations and support for the reconstruction process. Sri Lanka has also offered to reconstruct a Buddhist Temple in Nepal, that was damaged due to the earthquake. 

The Sri Lankan contingent is continuing with their relief operations in the Dolalghat area and is expected to continue until 12th May 2015.

Embassy of Sri Lanka

Kathmandu 

6th May 2015