Uploaded September 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
(27 Aug 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
UK POOL
South Wales, UK - 27 August 2026
++STARTS AND ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Andy Burnham, UK Prime Minister:
"These are such distressing scenes coming out of Nepal and we feel for the people there and everything that they're going through at this moment in time, such devastation of communities and already sadly it seems such huge loss of life. In the past Nepal has been there for Britain in our hour of need and we will be there for Nepal in its hour of need right now. So the immediate offer that the Foreign secretary has relayed to the Nepalese government is an offer of first responders, search and rescue support, Britain excels in this and we're there and ready to be deployed, obviously it's a matter for the Nepalese government, but that is available. Financial support has been put on the table as well of course. British nationals missing as well and we need to support that search and rescue effort. We're also redeploying Foreign and Commonwealth office staff from the wider region into Kathmandu so that there is 24/7 consulate support for British nationals in the country but of course their families back here at home who are obviously going through some really difficult moments right now. So a comprehensive package of support has been put forward, but we'll continue to work closely with our colleagues in the Nepalese government over the coming hours and days and obviously we all hope and pray for everybody affected by these devastating events."
++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
STORYLINE:
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Thursday that Britain has offered search-and-rescue teams and financial support to Nepal after catastrophic floods that have left hundreds of people missing.
Rescue teams searched for hundreds of missing people along the Nepal-Tibet border after the collapse of a glacier sent a deadly wall of water and mud several stories high tearing through communities on Wednesday.
At least 273 people were killed, more than 1,300 are missing, including foreigners and pilgrims, and hundreds have been displaced across the Himalayan region.
"We will be there for Nepal in its hour of need," he said. "A comprehensive package of support has been put forward, but we'll continue to work closely with our colleagues in the Nepalese government over the coming hours and days."
33 British nationals are among the missing, according to the Nepalese tourism board.
Burnham said a 24/7 consulate service had been set up in the capital Kathmandu to support British nationals in Nepal.
According to Nepal’s Tourism Board, 517 of the missing people in the country were foreigners and 178 of them were from India.
More than 60 of those unaccounted for in Nepal were from the U.S. and the rest were from 30 other countries, ranging from Ukraine and the U.K. to South Africa and Japan, the board said.
Many of the missing may have been on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a sacred site for Hindus, Buddhists and others.
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(27 Aug 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
UK POOL
South Wales, UK - 27 August 2026
++STARTS AND ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
1. SOUNDBITE (English) Andy Burnham, UK Prime Minister:
"These are such distressing scenes coming out of Nepal and we feel for the people there and everything that they're going through at this moment in time, such devastation of communities and already sadly it seems such huge loss of life. In the past Nepal has been there for Britain in our hour of need and we will be there for Nepal in its hour of need right now. So the immediate offer that the Foreign secretary has relayed to the Nepalese government is an offer of first responders, search and rescue support, Britain excels in this and we're there and ready to be deployed, obviously it's a matter for the Nepalese government, but that is available. Financial support has been put on the table as well of course. British nationals missing as well and we need to support that search and rescue effort. We're also redeploying Foreign and Commonwealth office staff from the wider region into Kathmandu so that there is 24/7 consulate support for British nationals in the country but of course their families back here at home who are obviously going through some really difficult moments right now. So a comprehensive package of support has been put forward, but we'll continue to work closely with our colleagues in the Nepalese government over the coming hours and days and obviously we all hope and pray for everybody affected by these devastating events."
++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
STORYLINE:
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Thursday that Britain has offered search-and-rescue teams and financial support to Nepal after catastrophic floods that have left hundreds of people missing.
Rescue teams searched for hundreds of missing people along the Nepal-Tibet border after the collapse of a glacier sent a deadly wall of water and mud several stories high tearing through communities on Wednesday.
At least 273 people were killed, more than 1,300 are missing, including foreigners and pilgrims, and hundreds have been displaced across the Himalayan region.
"We will be there for Nepal in its hour of need," he said. "A comprehensive package of support has been put forward, but we'll continue to work closely with our colleagues in the Nepalese government over the coming hours and days."
33 British nationals are among the missing, according to the Nepalese tourism board.
Burnham said a 24/7 consulate service had been set up in the capital Kathmandu to support British nationals in Nepal.
According to Nepal’s Tourism Board, 517 of the missing people in the country were foreigners and 178 of them were from India.
More than 60 of those unaccounted for in Nepal were from the U.S. and the rest were from 30 other countries, ranging from Ukraine and the U.K. to South Africa and Japan, the board said.
Many of the missing may have been on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash in Tibet, a sacred site for Hindus, Buddhists and others.
===========================================================
Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: info@aparchive.com.
Find out more about AP Archive: aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: instagram.com/APNews
You can license this story through AP Archive: aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/0d0b3ae55c3d4a989b1536e8994a2691
