KATHMANDU: A total of 11,993 people have been rescued as of last evening following the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi River. Meanwhile, 4,216 people remain unaccounted for.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said that, alongside relief and rescue operations, priority has been given to searching for those still missing.
According to NDRRMA spokesperson Shanti Mahat, 21,314 security personnel from the Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force Nepal have been mobilized in the flood-affected areas.
Of those deployed for search and rescue operations, 9,199 are from the Nepali Army, 7,912 from Nepal Police and 4,203 from the Armed Police Force Nepal.
Security personnel are searching riverbanks, flood-affected settlements, roads and areas hit by landslides. The NDRRMA said search and rescue operations have been challenging in some areas because roads and other physical infrastructure were damaged by the floods.
The death toll from the disaster has reached 1,204. Search and rescue operations have been intensified in the affected districts, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Nawalparasi East, Nawalparasi West, Tanahun and Chitwan.
According to Mahat, 115 bodies have been recovered in Rasuwa, 155 in Nuwakot, 60 in Dhading, 69 in Gorkha, 217 in Nawalparasi East, 202 in Nawalparasi West, 38 in Tanahun and 348 in Chitwan.
The Nepali Army has given high priority to aerial rescue operations. So far, it has rescued 4,091 Nepali citizens and 273 foreign nationals.
The army has conducted 690 flights for search and rescue operations so far, including 80 flights on Wednesday alone.
The private sector has also supported rescue and relief efforts through 29 air operations. Relief materials are being transported by air to remote and areas cut off from road access.
According to the NDRRMA, 45 Nepali Army personnel, 25 Nepal Police personnel and 13 Armed Police Force personnel are among those missing following the floods. Similarly, 14 employees of the Customs Office, three employees of the Immigration Office and around 865 people from Rasuwa are reported missing.
The report also states that 1,558 people from Nuwakot, 583 foreign nationals and 164 Nepali nationals who had traveled with tourists are missing.
Similarly, around 900 people working at hydropower projects, three employees of Langtang National Park, three personnel from the Quarantine Office, seven elected representatives, 32 employees of local governments and subordinate agencies, and one employee of a private school are reported missing.
The government has continued rescue and relief operations for flood-affected communities. The distribution of food, non-food items, medicines and other health supplies is ongoing in affected areas.
With thousands of people still unaccounted for and the disaster causing significant loss of life and property, search and rescue operations have been intensified. Relief assistance, healthcare services and access to essential supplies have also been prioritized.
Security agencies, local governments and other government and humanitarian agencies continue to remain engaged in rescue and relief operations across the affected areas, the NDRRMA said.
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