Nepal floods: SMART team ready for SAR mission, awaiting green light
The Malaysian SMART team is prepared to deploy to Nepal for search and rescue operations following devastating floods. The government is currently awaiting formal approval from Nepalese authorities to begin the mission.
Why it matters
International disaster response coordination is critical for humanitarian aid and the safety of citizens trapped in natural disasters.
PUTRAJAYA: The Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) is still awaiting feedback from the Nepalese government as to whether it is ready to receive a search and rescue (SAR) team from Malaysia to assist in operations following the massive floods that hit the country.
SMART commander Senior Fire and Rescue Officer 1 Abdul Manaf Che Isa said the team was fully prepared to carry out the mission.
"As of this morning, we are still waiting for feedback from the Nepalese government regarding its readiness to receive the (SAR) team from Malaysia," he told Bernama when met during the National Day 2026 celebrations at Dataran Putrajaya here Monday (Aug 31).
He said coordination with the Foreign Ministry, National Security Council (MKN) and National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) would be carried out for the deployment of the team to Nepal.
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