Drone being used to supply food in disaster-hit settlements in Kavre

Kavrepalanchowk, Oct 7: Drones are being used to supply food and other essentials to a village in Panauti municipality-12 of Kavre following the disruption of rural roads due to incessant rain last week.

An organization namely Hami Team Nepal in collaboration with Airlift Technology has started supplying food items, including rice to Magargaun. Team Nepal’s volunteer Parikshyan Humagain said some quantity of rice and materials have been sent to Magargaun on Sunday.

Due to geographical remoteness and blockage of rural roads, the organization has provided relief materials to 85 families of the village with the help of drones.

Humagain shared that an alternative measure has been used to send food stuffs after receiving information that relief materials were needed for 85 families of the floods and landslides hit village.

Today, relief materials including rice, solar lights, salt, oil, spices, sanitary pads, and lactogen for children will be sent through drones, Humagain said. Drones have been flown from Bhumidanda of ward 12 as the road leading to the village from Panauti Bazaar has been damaged. Humagain, also a social activist, said drones can transport up to 65 kilograms of food items at a time. “If the airflow is normal, relief can be sent up to 65 kg, otherwise we will send relief only 20 kg at a time,” he said.

The organization has planned to send food items through drones to such places on a priority basis as there are reports of similar situations elsewhere.

Humagain said that the data of the settlements and households without road connectivity has been collected for this purpose. The death toll from floods and landslides in Kavre has so far reached 77.

At least 75 people were injured in the incident. This is 31.56 per cent of the country’s deaths due to last week’s disaster.

According to the data, 244 people have lost their lives due to floods and landslides across the country so far. According to the District Police Office, Dhulikhel, 33 women, 28 men, nine boys and seven girls died in Kavre alone.