Opinion | When the ground disappears, the sky must be organised
Summary
Bhotekoshi’s flood wiped out roads and bridges, leaving helicopters as the only practical way to reach cut-off communities and evacuate survivors. The article calls for a permanent National Disaster Aviation Unit to coordinate military and private aircraft before, during and after future disasters.
Key Points
- The Bhotekoshi flood destroyed roads and bridges, exposing Nepal’s reliance on helicopters for emergency access in remote terrain.
- The article argues for a permanent National Disaster Aviation Unit to coordinate military and private aircraft during disasters.
- Such a unit would maintain aircraft inventories, standard communication procedures, emergency landing zones and joint exercises before crises hit.
- The writer says the Bhotekoshi response showed ad hoc coordination can work, but it should be made permanent and safer.
