KATHMANDU: Despite limited resources, Nepal Police has been continuously mobilising all available mechanisms to fulfil its responsibilities and respond to the challenges created by the Bhotekoshi flood.
Immediately after the flood entered Nepal from the Nepal-China border in Rasuwa, police personnel have been working round the clock from the affected areas to downstream settlements, prioritising information collection and analysis, developing response strategies, and mobilising available resources, skilled personnel and technology.
According to Police Headquarters, 7,912 police personnel have been mobilised to respond to the Bhotekoshi disaster. The latest police statistics show that 6,853 people have so far been rescued from the flood-affected areas, while 515 people remain missing.
Dogs and drones deployed in search and rescue
Nepal Police has mobilised specialised teams to search for and rescue people missing in the flood. Central Police Spokesperson DIG Abinarayan Kafle said a “Disaster Rescue and Coordination Information Management Centre” had been established at Police Headquarters under the leadership of a Deputy Inspector General of Police and was being monitored round the clock.
According to Kafle, the centre receives requests from relatives seeking information about and the rescue of family members who have remained out of contact. Based on the information received, the relevant police units are mobilised for search operations.
So far, the centre has received 1,351 requests for the search and rescue of missing people.
Search operations are continuing in the affected areas using trained sniffer dogs and drones, particularly in areas with complex physical structures. With the help of drone cameras, 24 bodies were recovered from a single house in Betrawati, Bidur Municipality-10, Nuwakot, a few days ago.
Similarly, a “Missing Help Desk” has been established at Police Headquarters and Tribhuvan International Airport to facilitate the exchange of information on deceased and missing foreign nationals with embassies, diplomatic missions and other foreign organisations in Nepal.
Scientific management of bodies and DNA profiling
Alongside search and rescue operations, the management of unidentified bodies and human remains is continuing with the assistance of forensic experts.
Police spokesperson Kafle said scientific methods were being adopted to manage the recovered bodies as their number continued to increase and concerns over possible infections and disease outbreaks grew.
DNA profiling is being carried out at the Nepal Police Hospital in Maharajgunj to help families of Nepali and foreign nationals who went missing after the flood identify recovered bodies and human remains through DNA testing.
Increased surveillance to prevent crime
Nepal Police has stepped up surveillance to prevent criminal activities that could exploit the disaster situation. Police are also working to protect the vacant homes of displaced people and prevent crimes and the spread of misinformation in the name of the disaster.
DIG Kafle said patrols and surveillance had been increased to control criminal activities such as robbery and theft while security personnel remained engaged in search and rescue operations.
He said police were also actively monitoring and controlling fraudulent activities carried out in the name of collecting relief for disaster victims.
“Monitoring has also been increased against false information, rumours, misleading news and other materials circulating on social media,” Kafle said. “Those who spread false information during disasters, create confusion among citizens or obstruct relief and rescue efforts will be brought to justice.”
Health care, relief and awareness programmes
Nepal Police is also providing medical care to people injured in the flood-affected areas. A team of specialist doctors from the Nepal Police Hospital has been providing medical treatment to the injured since the beginning of the disaster.
The specialist team is also working to help injured people recover and minimise the psychological stress caused by the devastating floods.
According to the latest statistics, police have conducted 92 community awareness programmes in the flood-affected areas, with 41,257 people participating in them.
Female police personnel have been deployed at disaster-affected holding centres in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading to prevent incidents of abuse and violence against women and children.
According to Police Headquarters, the female police personnel are addressing complaints and problems related to women and children and providing necessary counselling.
Efforts continue to make daily lives of displaced people easier
Police are coordinating with local governments and other security agencies to ease the daily lives of people affected by the flood. Police teams have been carrying out cleaning and repair works at schools, health posts, hospitals and the homes of displaced people damaged by the flood.
Spokesperson Kafle said police were also facilitating travellers by providing timely information about roads blocked at various locations due to the flood and informing them about alternative routes.
Putting aside their own pain, police stand with citizens
Deputy Inspector General of Police Kafle said Nepal Police remained committed to standing with citizens and fulfilling its duties under all circumstances.
“Putting aside their own pain, police personnel are standing by citizens, considering them the highest priority and supporting them through their suffering,” he said.
The police organisation itself has suffered both physical and human losses in the flood. Twenty-five Nepal Police personnel who were deployed to protect the lives and property of citizens after the disaster struck remain missing.
DIG and spokesperson Kafle said police personnel under his command were working day and night to ease the daily lives of citizens despite the large amounts of mud, soil and debris accumulated in the flood-affected areas and the risk of further flooding.
“Nepal Police is ready to fulfil its duties while facing multifaceted challenges, including search and rescue operations in the affected areas, locating missing people, managing recovered bodies, distributing relief materials, controlling criminal activities and protecting the lives and property of displaced people,” he said.
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