Nepal flood rescue operations save over 10,000 people
Efforts continue to rescue individuals trapped in debris and tunnels in Nepal.
A devastating flood in Nepal has resulted in the deaths of many people. According to the latest report from ‘The Kathmandu Post’, the death toll from the flood has now reached 903, while approximately 4,247 people are reported missing.
Following the severe flooding, the process of burying unidentified bodies has begun. Graves are being prepared in the forests of Chitwan for the deceased. Various countries are coming forward to assist Nepal during this disaster. India has also sent aid to Nepal. According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, India has sent forensic and tunnel rescue teams. Additionally, India has also dispatched a 11-member medical and tunnel rescue team along with 10 tons of humanitarian aid. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the forensic team has arrived in Kathmandu and has begun its work. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andy Burnham has announced a donation of £5 million, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen has announced €2 million in immediate humanitarian assistance. The U.S. State Department has announced a donation of $500,000. Canada's Foreign Minister, Anita Anand, has announced a donation of CAD 500,000. According to the Chinese ambassador, arrangements are also being made to provide emergency relief materials and financial assistance.
Nepal's Foreign Minister has stated,
the damage caused by this devastating flood could reach billions of dollars. Amid this major disaster, several countries have announced economic and humanitarian assistance for Nepal. Various countries are offering to send their armies for rescue missions, but Nepal is now hesitant to accept help. Nepal fears that the incident of 2015 may not happen again. In 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake occurred, resulting in numerous casualties Search-and-rescue teams from various countries had arrived in Nepal at that time, and there was heavy crowding at the airport and disaster areas, along with foreign armies moving in sensitive areas of Nepal, and dissatisfaction with the one-sided coverage by Indian media.
So the question arises, how will Nepal find so many missing people alone?
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) reported in its search, rescue, and relief update issued at 9 AM on Monday that 903 bodies, including human remains, have been recovered from several flood-affected districts. The death toll is rising with each passing day. Reports are coming in of bodies being recovered from various districts, including 272 from Chitwan, 151 from Parasi, 207 from Nawalpur, 37 from Tanahu, 62 from Gorkha, 55 from Dhading, 24 from Rasuwa, and 95 from Nuwakot. The bodies are being buried as they are deteriorating due to prolonged exposure to water, making identification difficult. Additionally, the administration is issuing identification numbers for the bodies to facilitate identification through DNA testing and hand them over to the families.
Rescue operations to extract people trapped in the tunnels of hydropower projects due to the flood are ongoing. Efforts are being made to clear debris and mud from the entrances of several projects, including Trishuli-3A, to reach inside. Rescue operations involve experts from India and China along with Nepal's security forces, who are attempting to contact trapped individuals inside the tunnels. Search, rescue, and relief operations have been intensified in the affected districts, with 20,819 security personnel deployed. This force includes 8,722 personnel from the Nepali Army, 7,894 from the Nepal Police, and 4,203 from the Armed Police Force.
According to reports from Navbharat Times, Nepal had sought assistance from China three months ago to share information regarding the potential disaster coming from Tibet. It has been revealed that officials and experts from both countries met in Kathmandu three months before the disaster due to a devastating wave of water, mud, and rocks in a valley near the Nepal-China border. During the meeting, discussions were held regarding the potential threats that could lead to disaster.
According to Nepalese officials, 10,451 people have been rescued so far, with air operations playing a crucial role in the rescue efforts. Reports indicate that 411 helicopter flights have been conducted (including 17 flights today). The aerial rescue operations conducted by the Nepali Army have involved 3,344 Nepali citizens and 252 foreign nationals, including 15 Chinese and 7 Indian citizens rescued from a hydropower plant on Sunday.
Securing the bodies of the deceased victims of the flood has become a challenge for the administration. Unidentified bodies have been kept in various hospitals, and information related to these unidentified bodies is being made available by the Nepal Police on the disaster portal and the official Facebook page of the Nepal Disaster Management Agency (NDRRMA).