Rescue efforts on a war footing in Nepal as disaster toll hits 675

Rescue efforts on a war footing in Nepal as disaster toll hits 675

The death toll from Nepal’s devastating flash flood rose to 675 on Saturday, as authorities said rescue operations continued for a fourth day, though hindered by the remoteness of the region.

The country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said at least 2,498 people remained missing, while more than 7,514 had been rescued.

According to the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), 261 tourists have been rescued, including 167 from India and 40 from China. There were eight people from Ukraine, four from Malta, and three from the U.S., apart from 21 unidentified people who were also brought to safety.

Challenging task

According to the NDRRMA, more than 900 people associated with 11 hydropower projects, including those under construction, remain unaccounted for. It said that in the last two days, 279 people were rescued from hydropower tunnels and hundreds more are believed to be trapped in tunnels as well, creating a daunting challenge for rescuers.

A tunnel rescue team from India reached Nepal on Saturday with specialised machinery, in accordance with an earlier reconnaissance team sent on Friday, India’s Ministry of External Affairs said. China also dispatched five tunnel experts on Saturday, who landed directly in the disaster-affected area.

Nepal Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal dismissed reports that Nepal had rejected international assistance and support, saying that the government had requested specific and specialised assistance “from our friendly neighbours to strengthen search-and-rescue efforts, particularly in the tunnels.”

Six teams of Indian forensic experts are expected to reach Nepal this weekend, to help identify the mortal remains that are being recovered in the disaster-hit areas, the MEA said.

In a social media post, Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah said that DNA and other evidence of identification would be preserved for bodies that cannot be identified. “Bodies identified by families would be handed over to them,” he said, adding that 18,708 security personnel have been mobilised in the flood-affected areas.