KATHMANDU:The government has requested private helicopter operators to keep their aircraft ready for immediate use.

On Saturday, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a letter to the Air Service Operators’ Association, asking that helicopters be maintained in a state of readiness for both written and verbal deployment requests.

The appeal follows an agreement between the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority and the association.

The ministry emphasized that helicopters should be prepared to assist with search and rescue, relief, evacuation, and rehabilitation for people affected by floods, landslides, and inundation caused by heavy and extremely heavy rainfall.