KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
PM Shah says all state mechanisms fully mobilised for flood response
Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) has said that all state mechanisms have been mobilised to their full capacity for rescue, relief and rehabilitation following the devastating floods and landslides. After conducting an on-site inspection of flood- and landslide-affected areas in Nuwakot and returning to Kathmandu, Prime Minister Shah made public a 20-point update on the government’s ongoing response. Shah said he received first-hand information from affected residents, local representatives, security personnel, health workers and those involved in rescue and relief operations. He said the situation in the affected areas remains challenging and that the government’s immediate priority is to save lives, search for missing people, treat the injured and provide immediate relief to affected families.
Bhotekoshi flood: 359 bodies recovered, 796 rescued by helicopter
The bodies of 359 people who died in Wednesday morning’s devastating flood in the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa have been recovered, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). The authority said 33 bodies were recovered in Dhading and 28 in Nuwakot. Similarly, 17 bodies were recovered in Rasuwa, 30 in Gorkha, 82 in Nawalparasi East, 15 in Nawalparasi West, 22 in Tanahun and 132 in Chitwan. According to NDRRMA, 796 people have so far been rescued from flood-affected areas by helicopters.
Bhotekoshi flood: Death toll reaches 289 as search for missing continues
The death toll from the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa has reached 289, with more bodies being recovered from riverbanks and surrounding areas. According to the latest details, the number of people confirmed dead in the floods has continued to rise as security personnel search for those reported missing. The District Police Office, East Nawalparasi, said 81 bodies have so far been recovered in the district alone. Of the 81 bodies, 55 have been kept at seven hospitals in the district, while the remaining 26 bodies are still at the recovery sites and preparations are underway to transport them to hospitals, police said.
High risk of another flood in Bhotekoshi River, residents urged to leave riverbanks
Residents living downstream of the Bhotekoshi River have been urged to remain on high alert amid the increased risk of another major flood in the river. The Flood Forecasting Division issued a special alert on Thursday afternoon, saying information received from China through Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that two rivers near the source of the Bhotekoshi have been blocked, forming a lake. According to satellite imagery and preliminary analysis, a river was blocked and a lake formed at the site where the major flood occurred on Wednesday. The lake is continuing to grow, the division said.
PM Shah returns after inspecting flood-affected areas in Nuwakot
Prime Minister (PM) Balendra Shah has returned to Kathmandu after completing an on-site inspection of Bidur and surrounding areas of Nuwakot, which were severely affected by the floods. Shah travelled to Nuwakot by road at around 9:30 a.m. Thursday accompanied by Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Sunil Lamsal. During the visit, the team assessed the physical damage caused by the floods and inspected affected settlements. The visit came a day after flooding along the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa caused extensive damage to settlements and infrastructure along the riverbanks. Since the disaster, Prime Minister Shah has been actively overseeing efforts to strengthen rescue and relief operations.
PM Balen Shah meets flood-injured in Bidur
Prime Minister (PM) Balen Shah visited flood-hit Bidur, Nuwakot, on Thursday and met people injured in the disaster. After arriving in Bidur, Prime Minister Shah conducted an on-site inspection of the affected areas and met with those receiving treatment for injuries sustained in the floods. Shah was accompanied by Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Sunil Lamsal. The two reached Bidur by road on Thursday morning. The devastating flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on Wednesday caused extensive damage to settlements and infrastructure along the riverbanks. Bidur and surrounding areas of Nuwakot have also been affected by the disaster.
Rasuwa flood: 1,433 people reported out of contact
A total of 1,433 Nepali and foreign nationals have been reported out of contact following the Bhotekoshi flood, excluding figures from Rasuwa and Nuwakot, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). The Authority said it had received data on people reported out of contact across the country as of 2:30 p.m. Thursday. The figures include 916 Nepali nationals from all seven provinces, excluding Rasuwa and Nuwakot, and 517 foreign nationals. Separate data for Rasuwa and Nuwakot is being collected. According to the latest figures, 80 people from Koshi Province have been reported out of contact. Most of them are employees, businesspeople and traders working at hydropower projects across 11 districts.
27 foreign tourists rescued from flood-hit Rasuwa
A total of 27 foreign tourists and travellers have been rescued from the Bhotekoshi area of Rasuwa following the devastating floods that struck the region on Wednesday. The Nepal Tourism Board, in an update issued at 3:30 pm Thursday, said 27 foreign nationals had been rescued from the Timure and Bhotekoshi areas. According to information received from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the rescued tourists include 11 Indian nationals, eight Chinese, four South Koreans, two Italians and two Americans. Of the 27 rescued, 21 are men and six are women. The oldest among those rescued are 70-year-old Chinese national Zhang Chuan and 69-year-old Indian national Balani Yappan.
Govt provides Rs 25 million aid to flood-hit districts
The government has allocated Rs 25 million in emergency assistance to three districts affected by the Bhotekoshi floods. According to Ram Bahadur KC, under secretary at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), Rs 10 million has been provided to Rasuwa, another Rs 10 million to Nuwakot and Rs 5 million to Dhading. Meanwhile, 37 flights have so far been conducted as part of the rescue operation for flood victims. NDRRMA spokesperson Shanti Mahat said 305 people have been rescued by helicopter to date.
Families wait outside airport hoping for missing loved ones
Families of people missing after the devastating floods in Rasuwa have been waiting outside Tribhuvan International Airport, holding on to hope that their loved ones may be among those rescued and brought to Kathmandu. The Nepali Army and private helicopter companies have been carrying out rescue operations, bringing stranded and injured people from the flood-hit areas to Kathmandu. Ambulances have been kept on standby at Tribhuvan International Airport to receive those rescued from the affected areas.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang reaches flood-hit Gyirong after deputy premier
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has reached Gyirong, a flood- and landslide-affected area in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, to inspect the damage caused by Wednesday’s disaster. According to the Chinese Embassy in Nepal, Premier Li arrived in the affected area on Thursday to assess the situation and oversee rescue and relief operations. Li visited Gyirong County after severe floods and landslides struck the area on Wednesday morning. He is scheduled to receive briefings on the extent of the damage and ongoing rescue and relief efforts, as well as meet personnel involved in the response and affected local residents.
Rasuwa floods: Opp’n back govt, urges focus on rescue, relief
Political parties have pledged to support the government in responding to the national disaster, urging it to focus entirely on search, rescue and relief operations. Speaking at an all-party meeting convened by Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane, Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa said political differences should be set aside during the crisis and every effort should be directed toward saving lives. Thapa said the immediate priority should be rescuing people from affected areas and preventing further loss of life. He urged the government to mobilize available resources, including private-sector and government helicopters, as well as young volunteers, for rescue operations.
Glacial debris flow that triggered flood surged at 50 metres per second
The devastating flood that struck Nepal on Wednesday caused extensive loss of life and property, while the Kerung (Gyirong) border port in Kerung County of Shigatse City in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region also suffered significant damage, according to Chinese experts. A massive debris flow triggered by a landslide at around 10:30 am on Wednesday caused extensive destruction in the Kerung port area. More than 300 people have reportedly been reported missing on the Chinese side. Experts from China’s Ministry of Natural Resources said the disaster was triggered by the collapse of a large mass of glacier ice in Nepal’s high Himalayan region.
More than 13,000 security personnel mobilised for Bhotekoshi flood rescue
More than 13,000 security personnel have been mobilised for search and rescue operations following the devastating flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on Wednesday morning. The Home Administration has deployed 13,295 personnel, including 7,250 from Nepal Police, 4,200 from the Nepali Army and 1,845 from the Armed Police Force, Nepal. Rescue teams are conducting search and rescue operations by air and on foot as floods have disrupted road networks in several affected areas. Helicopters operated by the Nepali Army and private aviation companies have so far made 69 flights, rescuing 351 people stranded in high-risk areas.
18 workers stranded at Langtang Hydropower appeal for rescue
Eighteen workers deployed at the Langtang Hydropower Project in Rasuwa have appealed for immediate rescue after being stranded along the Langtang River. The workers made the appeal by telephone, saying they were stranded in the area and needed urgent assistance. Worker Narendra Ratoji said one worker who had been trapped inside a tunnel for around four hours was rescued but is seriously injured. The worker has sustained injuries to his head and body, is bleeding and is unable to stand on his feet, he said. According to Ratoji, the workers tried to signal a helicopter by displaying red clothing when it approached the area, but the rescue could not be carried out. Although they had been assured the previous day that help would arrive, no rescue team had reached them yet, he said.
Bhotekoshi flood causes massive infrastructure damage, dozens of bridges swept away, power projects shut down
The devastating flash flood in the Bhotekoshi River triggered by a landslide and glacial collapse in Tibet on Wednesday has caused extensive damage to infrastructure across Nepal’s northern border areas and downstream corridors. Physical Infrastructure Minister Sunil Lamsal said preliminary estimates put the damage to Nepal’s infrastructure sector alone at more than Rs 200 billion. The flood has caused unprecedented destruction to roads linking major trade routes, bridges, customs infrastructure and hydropower projects.
Supreme Court rejects Deuba and Khadka’s plea to halt Nepali Congress general convention
The Supreme Court has refused to issue an interim order seeking to halt the 15th General Convention of the main opposition Nepali Congress. A bench comprising Justices Nahakul Subedi, Mahesh Sharma Paudel and Meghraj Pokharel refused to issue the interim order on Thursday. Former Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba and former acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka had filed a supplementary petition seeking an interim order to stop the party’s 15th General Convention. The Supreme Court said there was no prima facie basis for issuing an interim order, noting that an earlier petition had already been dismissed without directing or ordering the implementation of the decision.
Flood victims’ families gather at TU Teaching Hospital as 37 injured receive treatment
Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj has been crowded with families and relatives of people injured or killed in the Rasuwa flood. A total of 37 people injured in the flood are currently receiving treatment at the hospital, while the bodies of some of those who died have been kept at the hospital morgue. Families and relatives have gathered at the hospital as they wait for information about their loved ones following the devastating flood in Rasuwa.
Two arrested for stealing gold earrings from flood victim’s body
Police have arrested two people for allegedly stealing gold earrings from the body of a flood victim swept downstream by the Narayani River following Wednesday’s devastating floods. The arrests were made after a video showing two men allegedly removing gold earrings from a deceased person’s body went viral on social media, prompting Chitwan Police to launch an investigation. Police said the body had been swept into the Narayani River by the massive flood triggered by a landslide in Tibet on Wednesday. Based on the video, police identified and arrested two suspects near Pokhara Bus Park in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-1 on Thursday, according to the District Police Office, Chitwan.
UK expresses solidarity with Nepal, pledges support following devastating floods
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal and UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband held a telephone conversation on Thursday to discuss the devastating floods that have caused widespread loss of life and property in Nepal. During the conversation, Miliband expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and damage caused by Wednesday’s floods and extended condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. Miliband said the UK government and British people stand in solidarity with Nepal and the Nepali people during the difficult situation. He also assured that the UK government is committed to providing necessary support to Nepal to deal with the aftermath of the floods.
India sends 37.5 tonnes of relief materials to Nepal in second phase
The Government of India has dispatched a second consignment of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies for people affected by the floods in Rasuwa. Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar said on social media Thursday morning that a second flight carrying 37.5 tonnes of humanitarian assistance had departed for Nepal. “A second flight has just taken off, carrying 37.5 tonnes of HADR material, medicines and food packets for Nepal,” Jaishankar said in a social media post. “India remains in close and continuous touch with the Nepalese authorities. We will continue to strongly support the ongoing relief efforts.”
Entire state mechanism mobilized for flood relief: PM Shah
Prime Minister (PM) Balendra Shah has said the entire state machinery has been mobilized to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations for people affected by the floods. In a social media post on Thursday, Shah said the government was making every possible effort to accelerate rescue and relief operations amid the unprecedented disaster facing the country. He added that the government, Nepalis living at home and abroad, and the international community would have to work together to overcome the crisis. “Rescue flights began at 6:30 this morning. More than 15 flights have been conducted so far, while additional helicopters have been kept on standby,” Shah said.
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