Nepal Telecom has provided free voice, SMS and internet services to people affected by the Bhotekoshi floods, following a directive from Information and Communications Minister Dr Bikram Timilsina to support communications in flood-hit areas.
Under the emergency arrangement, residents in affected areas will receive unlimited voice calls, 2GB of data and 50 SMS messages per day at no cost for two days, Nepal Telecom spokesperson Kamal Lamichhane said.
The telecom operator is also working to restore damaged infrastructure after the floods destroyed two telecom towers in Rasuwa and five in Nuwakot. Nepal Telecom has deployed technical teams to the affected areas to carry out repair and maintenance work.
The emergency connectivity measures are intended to help affected residents maintain contact with families, emergency services and authorities during the ongoing response and recovery efforts.
Meanwhile, tankers carrying aviation fuel have been mobilised from Kathmandu to Nuwakot to refuel helicopters being deployed for search and rescue operations in the affected areas.
The measures highlight the critical role of telecommunications infrastructure during natural disasters, particularly when communities require reliable communication for emergency coordination, rescue operations and access to essential information.
