Kathmandu, Nepal, September 2 (ANI): The death toll from the devastating flash flood in Nepal has reached 1,204, according to an official update released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) on Wednesday.
Addressing the fifth daily press briefing in Kathmandu, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri announced that temporary burials for flood victims have begun amid round-the-clock search and rescue operations.
Chhetri provided a comprehensive update, confirming that 11,993 people have been rescued, 1,114 bodies have been recovered, and approximately 3,900 individuals remain out of contact. He urged immediate family members of missing persons to submit DNA samples to the Nepal Police Hospital in Maharajgunj or their nearest District Police Office to assist forensic teams.
Detailing multinational assistance, Chhetri stated that a 19-member Indian Forensic Team is collaborating with the Nepal Police on DNA analysis, joined by specialized teams and equipment from China, Singapore and South Korea.
Furthermore, rescue units from the Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force are working alongside international experts from India, China and South Korea to clear mud and boulders from subterranean hydropower structures in locations such as Langtang, Chilime and Upper Trisuli.
While more than 300 foreign nationals have been rescued safely, approximately 590 foreign citizens from 34 countries remain missing.
In coordination with Chinese authorities, diplomatic efforts have successfully facilitated the evacuation of roughly 2,500 pilgrims returning from Mount Kailash via the Hilsa and Tatopani border points and Lhasa air routes, while arrangements are underway to clear stranded cargo and stranded Nepalis near the Kerung border.
Weighing in on the wider policy implications earlier in the day, Prime Minister Balendra Shah informed Parliament that the catastrophic August 26 Bhotekoshi River flood, triggered by a high Himalayan avalanche, highlights escalating climate risks in the region.
Highlighting that the disaster has left nearly 4,000 people missing across Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading, Prime Minister Shah emphasized that managing the effects of climate change is a shared global responsibility.
As Nepal coordinates international assistance from partners including India, China, the U.S., Japan, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the European Union and the United Nations, the government continues to deploy all available resources toward immediate relief, searches for missing persons and long-term recovery. (ANI)
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