KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Chinese envoy assures RSP chair Lamichhane of continued support for Nepal from rescue to reconstruction
Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Zhang Maoming met Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane at his residence in Budhanilkantha on Tuesday and assured that China would stand with Nepal from search and rescue operations to reconstruction following the devastating Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa. During the meeting, Ambassador Zhang expressed condolences over the loss of lives and property caused by the flood in the Bhotekoshi River area. Zhang said China was ready to provide whatever assistance Nepal requires during the disaster. He said China has already been providing rescue personnel, DNA experts and other technical support following the flood, and that such assistance would continue as long as necessary.
Home Minister says state will not back down from Bhotekoshi rescue efforts
Home Minister Sudan Gurung has said the government is making every possible effort to rescue people believed to be trapped inside hydropower project tunnels following the Bhotekoshi flood. Speaking at a press conference organised at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority on Tuesday, Gurung said rescue efforts were continuing and the government had not given up hope. “We are continuing our efforts and have not lost hope. We have identified the upper section of the tunnel and are continuing search and rescue efforts. The state will not back away from its responsibility,” Gurung said. He said all available security and rescue mechanisms had been mobilised to search for people who remain unaccounted for following the flood.
All-party meeting calls for international coordination as flood response comes under scrutiny
Political parties have called for a unified national response to the disaster caused by the Bhotekoshi flood and urged the government to begin discussions with the international community to strengthen rescue and relief efforts. The consensus was reached during an all-party meeting called by Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane on Tuesday. Leaders attending the meeting said all political forces should work together to confront the national disaster. Opposition parties also raised concerns over the government’s response, arguing that there were grounds to question some of its actions. They urged the government to make rescue and relief operations more responsible and effective.
Families question army search for missing Rasuwagadhi hydropower workers
Families of employees who went missing after the devastating Bhotekoshi River flood in Rasuwa have raised serious questions over the search operation at the Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Project, claiming that workers may still be trapped inside the powerhouse. The families have alleged that the Nepal Army rescue team did not reach the powerhouse’s control room before returning from the site. They have also questioned the government’s claim that no one was found inside the tunnel. The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers said on Monday that a drone search inside the project’s tunnel had failed to locate any people. The Nepal Army-led rescue team subsequently concluded the search and returned to Dhunche.
27 Bhotekoshi flood victims receiving treatment at Teaching Hospital
Twenty-seven people injured in the Bhotekoshi River flood in Rasuwa and rescued from the affected areas are currently receiving treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj. Hospital spokesperson Dr Gopal Sedhain said 67 injured people had been brought to the hospital so far. Of those currently undergoing treatment, three are receiving care in the intensive care unit (ICU), while two others are being treated in the high-care unit under close observation. One of the injured patients died during treatment at the hospital. According to Dr Sedhain, the deceased has been identified as 25-year-old Kushal Magar.
UML lawmakers to donate 15 days’ salary to disaster relief fund
The CPN-UML has decided to seek the formation of a special parliamentary committee to monitor rescue and relief operations on the ground and facilitate necessary coordination with the government. A meeting of the UML Parliamentary Party held at Singha Durbar on Tuesday decided that the parliamentary party leader would address the House of Representatives when its meeting resumes on Wednesday and call for the formation of the special committee. UML Chief Whip Ain Mahar said the parliamentary party also decided that each UML lawmaker would contribute 15 days of their salary to the disaster relief fund. The meeting paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the floods and landslides and wished those injured a speedy recovery. It also called for intensified efforts to locate people who remain missing.
National Assembly MPs urge govt to declare national mourning over Rasuwa floods
Lawmakers have urged the government to declare a national day of mourning in response to the devastating floods in Rasuwa. The lawmakers made the demand while speaking during the zero hour of the National Assembly on Tuesday. Nepali Congress lawmaker Yubaraj Sharma urged the government to declare a national day of mourning and said the country must stand united in the face of the disaster. “What was not supposed to happen has happened. Now, the government’s focus should be on search, rescue, relief and rehabilitation,” Sharma said. “Result-oriented action and proper management are needed rather than propaganda.” He also called for collective efforts to deal with the disaster.
170 bodies recovered along Narayani River in Nawalparasi, 68 buried
A total of 170 bodies have so far been recovered from the Narayani River area in West Nawalparasi following the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa, according to the District Administration Office. Of the recovered bodies, 68 have been buried, four have been identified and 98 remain at hospitals. Chief District Officer Dipak Raj Nepal said DNA samples were collected at Prithvi Chandra Hospital in the district headquarters before 68 bodies were safely buried. The bodies were initially managed at Alkatara Danda in Mulpani Community Forest in Sunwal. After space became limited in Sunwal, authorities began managing the bodies at an area around the high-tension line in Chisapani Community Forest in Bardaghat Municipality-2.
Tatopani border closed after Rasuwa, traders turn to Korala for China imports
Nepal’s northern trade routes with China have come under further pressure after China announced the closure of the Tatopani border point in Sindhupalchok, following the indefinite closure of the Rasuwa border point after last Wednesday’s Bhotekoshi flood. With both Rasuwa and Tatopani affected, traders importing goods from China will now have to rely more heavily on the Korala border point in Mustang. However, traders say transporting goods from Korala to Kathmandu takes nearly twice as long as through the Rasuwa and Tatopani routes. Parts of the road on the Nepali side are also in poor condition, making transportation more difficult.
76 unidentified bodies buried in Pokhara as identification process continues
A total of 76 bodies brought to Pokhara from flood-affected areas and various districts have been buried as authorities continue efforts to identify the deceased. According to Kaski police, 76 of the 102 bodies brought from Dhading, Tanahun, Gorkha and East Nawalparasi were buried on Tuesday. The bodies were buried in a forest area beside the Seti Canal in Pokhara Metropolitan City-16 in accordance with international standards. Nineteen bodies have been identified and handed over to their families, while seven others remain at the hospital for post-mortem examinations and DNA sample collection.
Nepal Telecom restores 113 sites affected by Bhotekoshi flood
Nepal Telecom has restored three additional sites affected by the Bhotekoshi flood, bringing the number of operational sites to 113 out of 120 affected sites. The company said the Kalleri site in Dhading and the Bhadratar Thaprek and Pusantar sites in Nuwakot resumed operations on Tuesday. Services from the Kalleri site will benefit customers in Adamghat, Pipalatar, Sunaulabazar, Ghumaune Danda, Kalleri and Beltar, among other areas. The Bhadratar Thaprek site will provide services to Panchakanya, Thaprek, Mahakali, Samundradevi and Ralukadevi, while the Pusantar site will serve areas including Pipalatar, Devighat, Majhigaun, Sirkhali and Bhuvaneshwari.
Parliament meeting scheduled for tomorrow
The meeting of the House of Representatives, which was postponed following the Bhotekoshi flood disaster, has been scheduled for Wednesday. A meeting of the House Business Advisory Committee held on Tuesday agreed to convene the House meeting on September 2, according to Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) whip Prakash Chandra Pariyar. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 1 pm. During the meeting, Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal is scheduled to present a special resolution on the Bhotekoshi flood disaster. Leaders of six political parties represented in Parliament are also scheduled to address the House.
Rasuwa flood: Over 12,000 people rescued, 987 bodies recovered
The death toll from the devastating flash flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa has reached 987, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). As of Tuesday morning, the highest number of bodies had been recovered in Chitwan, where 321 bodies were found. Similarly, 216 bodies were recovered in Nawalparasi East, 170 in Nawalparasi West, 95 in Nuwakot, 65 in Gorkha, 55 in Dhading, 38 in Tanahun, and 27 in Rasuwa. Of the 3,916 people reported missing following the disaster, 25 are from the Nepal Police, 45 from the Nepali Army, 13 from the Armed Police Force, 15 from the Customs Office, and three from the Immigration Office.
Transportation restored in Dhunge area of Nuwakot
Road transportation disrupted by the devastating flash floods on August 26 has resumed in the Dhunge area of Bidur Municipality-1, Nuwakot. The restoration has facilitated travel between Bidur and Dhunge. The District Disaster Management Committee had prioritised the removal of debris and sludge deposited on the road and in settlements along the banks of the Trishuli River to restore road connectivity. Bidur Municipality Mayor Rajan Shrestha said the obstruction had been cleared to resume transportation. “This has made it easier to transport emergency humanitarian assistance, manage the bodies of the deceased and reach households awaiting support. We can now reach as far as Betrawati,” he said.
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