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 rescue, search and relief operations have been intensified
The government says 7,514 people have so far been rescued from areas affected by the devastating Bhotekoshi River floods in Rasuwa on August 26. Prime Minister Balen Shah said in a social media post that security agencies, including the Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, have continued rescue, search and relief operations despite adverse weather and difficult terrain. According to the government, 279 people trapped at various hydropower project sites have been rescued, while the Nepali Army continues efforts to rescue those remaining in affected areas. Indian and Chinese experts are also assisting the Nepali Army in the rescue operation.
Bhotekoshi floods: Death toll reaches 669 as 2,301 rescued
The death toll from the floods that swept through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers has reached 669, according to Nepal Police. Nepal Police said 669 bodies had been recovered from flood-affected areas as of 4 pm on Saturday. According to the Police Headquarters in Naxal, 13 bodies have been recovered in Rasuwa, 49 in Dhading, 41 in Nuwakot, 54 in Gorkha, 31 in Tanahun, 248 in Chitwan, 158 in Nawalparasi East and 75 in Nawalparasi West. Police spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General Abinarayan Kafle said 2,301 people have so far been rescued from flood-affected areas. Of those rescued, 676 were from Rasuwa, 1,622 from Nuwakot and three from Dhading.
Rescue team drills through Trishuli-3A tunnel, starts sending air inside
Rescue efforts to evacuate people trapped inside the tunnel of the Trishuli-3A Hydropower Project have made significant progress, with rescuers successfully drilling a small opening through the tunnel’s upper section, or crown. Home Minister Sudhan Gurung said the drilling has reached the crown of the tunnel and air is now being sent inside through the opening. In a statement shared on social media, Gurung said further excavation would begin from the opening, after which rescue personnel would be sent inside to evacuate those trapped.
Nepal Police managing unidentified bodies with special focus on infection and health risks
Nepal Police has intensified efforts to manage abandoned and unidentified bodies and body parts recovered from various districts, with a focus on minimizing the risk of infection and other public health hazards. As the number of recovered bodies continues to rise and some have begun decomposing due to a lack of adequate morgue facilities, police have stepped up the systematic management of the bodies. The measures are aimed at controlling foul odours and preventing the spread of infections and potential epidemics resulting from the further decomposition of the bodies. In Chitwan, the management of unidentified bodies has already begun in accordance with a decision of the District Security Committee. Similar arrangements have been adopted in other districts.
227 unidentified bodies recovered from Rasuwa floods to be buried in Chitwan
Authorities have begun managing unidentified bodies recovered from the Narayani River following the floods in Rasuwa. The bodies are being taken to a forested area in Devghat, Chitwan, for burial. In the first phase, four hearses have been deployed to transport the bodies to the designated site. A total of 233 bodies have so far been recovered in Chitwan in connection with the floods, but only six have been identified. The remaining 227 unidentified bodies are being prepared for burial after DNA samples have been collected. The bodies are being tagged with the necessary details before they are transported to the management site.
Rasuwa flood: 184 tourists rescued, 420 still out of contact
A total of 187 tourists affected by the recent floods have either been rescued or are now in contact, according to the latest data released by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). The Board said 184 tourists have been rescued, while three others have established contact with authorities. However, 420 tourists remain out of contact. Many tourists traveling to Kailash Mansarovar via the Rasuwagadhi border checkpoint lost contact after floods struck the area on August 26. According to NTB, the largest number of tourists rescued are from India, with 114 Indian nationals among them. Similarly, 20 South Koreans, 27 Chinese, four Germans, four Maltese, and three nationals each from the United States and Italy have been rescued.
Govt seeks foreign expertise for DNA analysis, victim identification and body management
The government has sought technical and expert assistance from friendly nations to strengthen the search and rescue efforts for people trapped inside a tunnel. Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said the government has also requested support for advanced technologies needed to locate and identify those trapped in the tunnel. The government has particularly sought international assistance for rapid DNA analysis, identification of victims and long-term management of bodies.
Chinese embassy rejects claims of withholding flood warnings from Nepal
The Chinese Embassy in Nepal has clarified allegations that China failed to provide Nepal with advance information about the risk of floods and landslides in the mountainous areas of Rasuwa. In a statement, a spokesperson for the embassy said Chinese experts had been continuously monitoring, assessing and analysing risks in the Himalayan region within the limits of available technology and had provided important information to the Nepali side in a timely manner. The embassy said risk points across the Himalayas are widely dispersed, with a large number of glacial lakes and ice formations located in remote and extremely cold areas at elevations of 4,000 to 5,000 metres or higher.
537 workers remain missing from nine hydropower projects
A total of 537 employees and workers at nine hydropower projects remain unaccounted for following the flooding of the Bhotekoshi River. According to the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), 898 people working at nine hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot were initially reported missing. Of them, 361 have been rescued so far. At the 216-MW Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project, 576 people were reported missing, of whom 254 have been rescued. Around 300 workers and employees are still believed to be trapped inside the project’s tunnel, where search operations are underway.
Rasuwa flood: NC draws govt’s attention to nine-point demands
Nepali Congress (NC) leader and main opposition party leader Bhishma Angdembe met Prime Minister Balendra Shah and drawn the government’s attention to the need to intensify rescue and relief efforts for victims of the Bhotekoshi flood. At a meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Singha Durbar today, Angdembe submitted a nine-point memorandum to the government after returning from an on-site inspection of flood-affected areas, including Dhungebazar and Devighat in Nuwakot. Angdembe called for the government to address problems observed on the ground during rescue and relief operations in flood-affected Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading, and to make aerial rescue operations more effective. While commending the rescue efforts of the Nepali Army, he called for separate helicopter rescue units to be formed and mobilized in Rasuwa and Nuwakot.
208 people, including 43 foreigners, rescued from Trishuli-3 tunnel
A total of 208 people, including 43 foreign nationals, have been rescued from the tunnel of the Trishuli-3 Hydropower Project in Rasuwa as part of the ongoing rescue operation following the Bhotekoshi floods. The Nepali Army said its helicopters rescued 208 people from the affected tunnel by Saturday afternoon, including 38 Chinese and five Indian nationals. A joint rescue team is continuing efforts to locate the outer section of the tunnel using drilling machines and other equipment to facilitate further rescue operations.
China sends tunnel rescue experts to Rasuwa as Indian and Chinese teams join efforts
China has sent a helicopter carrying tunnel rescue specialists to Nepal to assist in the search and rescue of Nepali and foreign nationals trapped inside tunnels of hydropower projects following the devastating floods in Rasuwa’s Bhotekoshi area. A helicopter carrying four tunnel rescue experts from the People’s Liberation Army of China arrived in Nepal on Saturday. The helicopter reportedly flew directly from the Kerung border and landed at the powerhouse area of the concerned hydropower project. Nepali and foreign engineers, technicians and workers have been trapped inside tunnels and underground structures of several hydropower projects in Rasuwa following the floods on Wednesday morning.
Foreign Minister’s visit to Serbia cancelled
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shisir Khanal, has cancelled his scheduled visit to Serbia in the aftermath the August 26 devastating floods in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts. He was scheduled to leave here for Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia, on Sunday, leading a three-member delegation to the High-Level Commemorative Meeting of the Non-Align Movement (NAM). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the cancellation of the Minister’s visit to Serbia. The NAM Commemorative Meeting is taking place in Belgrade on August 31 and September 1.
Nepal Telecom restores services at Trishuli-3A site
Nepal Telecom has resumed its services through a tower located near the Trishuli-3A Hydropower Project in Rasuwa, facilitating communication for the ongoing rescue operation inside the project’s tunnel. The tower was brought back into operation after the company transported the required generator and fuel to the site using its vehicles and by carrying them manually for nearly an hour. Nepal Telecom technicians conducted the necessary technical tests before restoring the service. Similarly, the Tupche BTS site in Rasuwa has also resumed operation from Saturday.
Two Chinese military cargo planes carrying relief supplies to arrive in Nepal
Two Chinese military cargo planes carrying relief supplies for victims of the Bhotekoshi flood are scheduled to arrive in Nepal today, Saturday. A source at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two aircraft carrying relief materials are scheduled to arrive in Nepal today in coordination with the ministry. China is also sending two expert teams to Nepal to assist with tunnel rescue operations and technical work, according to the ministry source.The Bhotekoshi flood has damaged 13 hydropower projects in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, while around 900 people working at 11 hydropower projects have lost contact. They are believed to be trapped inside tunnels at the affected hydropower projects. The Chinese expert teams are being sent to assist in rescue efforts.
Bodies retrieved in Chitwan to be buried after DNA samples are collected
The bodies of people who died in the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa and were retrieved in Chitwan will be buried after DNA samples are collected to facilitate their identification in the future. A meeting of the District Security Committee held at the District Administration Office today decided to bury the bodies to prevent the spread of infection, as they have begun decomposing and there is insufficient space to keep them in refrigeration facilities. Of the 233 bodies recovered from the banks of the Narayani and Trishuli rivers in the district, only four have been identified so far, according to Chief District Officer Ganesh Aryal. The remaining 229 bodies are being kept at holding centers and various health institutions.
Govt appeals for drone photos and videos from flood-affected areas
The government has appealed to drone pilots, operators, organizations and media outlets to provide aerial photos and videos captured in flood- and disaster-affected areas. The government is working to integrate aerial imagery, videos and mapping data collected by drones in affected areas. Various forms of data captured during floods and other disasters have already started to be collected through a centralized system. The collected data will be verified, and necessary information will then be shared with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and other relevant agencies to support disaster response and decision-making.
CAN donates Rs 3 million to Bhotekoshi flood victims
The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has decided to donate Rs 3 million to support relief, rescue and rehabilitation efforts for families and communities affected by the Bhotekoshi flood. CAN Secretary Paras Khadka said in a press release issued on Saturday that the association would provide the amount to support citizens affected by the disaster. The contribution will be deposited into the Prime Minister’s Natural Disaster Relief Fund, according to CAN. Expressing solidarity with those affected by the natural disaster, CAN said it remains committed to providing necessary support and cooperation in rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts during times of crisis.
29 arrested for breaking open bank safes swept away by Trishuli River
Twenty-nine people have been arrested for allegedly breaking open bank safes swept away by the Trishuli River and taking money from them. They were arrested by security personnel while allegedly withdrawing cash from safes carried away by floods from Rasuwa and upstream areas along the river. A joint team of the Armed Police Force and Nepal Police arrested them during search and patrol operations. Police said Rs 9,268,505 in cash was recovered from the suspects.
Bhotekoshi flood: 82 security personnel mobilized to rescue those trapped inside tunnel
A team of 82 security personnel has been mobilized to rescue people trapped inside a tunnel of the Trishuli 3A Hydropower Project following the Bhotekoshi flood in Nepal’s Rasuwa district. According to the Military Public Relations and Information Directorate, the team, comprising 62 personnel from the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police, has been deployed in the Trishuli 3A tunnel area for the rescue operation. Rescue operations have been underway in the area since Friday under the command of the Nepal Army. A total of 191 people were safely rescued from the tunnel on Friday.
Google launches emergency information service in Nepal
Google has launched an “Emergency Information Service” in Nepal to provide citizens with quick and easy access to information during floods and other natural disasters. With the service in operation, a link titled “Nepal Flash Flood Emergency Info and Updates” will appear on Google’s homepage when there is a risk of flooding or other disasters. By accessing the link, users will be able to view a map of the affected area, Google’s flood alerts and news reports from various international media outlets in one place.
Govt releases Rs 70 million to flood-affected local levels
The government has released Rs 70 million in relief funds for areas affected by the flood that occurred on the morning of Bhadra 20 in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) had released Rs 67 million to 15 flood-affected local levels by Friday. According to the authority, the funds will be distributed to the affected local levels based on their needs. A meeting of the Authority’s Executive Committee, held on Thursday, decided to release the funds from the authority’s disaster management fund. The authority said the affected local levels would be categorised as highly affected, affected, and moderately affected, with grant assistance provided accordingly.
India sends medical, tunnel rescue team to Nepal
India has sent an 11-member medical and tunnel rescue team to Nepal to assist in rescue operations following the devastating Rasuwa floods. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said on social media that the team, comprising doctors, paramedics and a reconnaissance team, has arrived in Kathmandu to support tunnel rescue operations. The reconnaissance operation is scheduled to begin today (Saturday).
NOC sends 40,840 litres of aviation fuel for flood rescue operations
Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has sent 40,840 litres of aviation fuel to the Nepali Army barracks in Nuwakot for helicopters involved in search and rescue operations following the flooding of the Bhotekoshi River. Issuing a statement on Saturday, the corporation said it has been regularly supplying aviation fuel to the Nepali Army barracks in Nuwakot for rescue operations since Bhadra 10. Helicopters have been refuelled from the facility for operations in the flood-affected areas. According to NOC, 12,000 litres of aviation fuel were supplied on Bhadra 10, followed by 10,840 litres transported by helicopter and tanker on Bhadra 11.
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