KATHMANDU, Sept 3: As of Wednesday evening, 11,993 people had been rescued following the devastating flood in the Bhotekoshi River, while 4,216 people remained missing.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said the search for missing people has been given priority alongside ongoing rescue and relief operations.
According to authority spokesperson Shanti Mahat, a total of 21,314 security personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been deployed to the affected areas following the disaster.
The authority said 7,912 Nepal Police personnel, 9,199 Nepal Army personnel and 4,203 Armed Police Force personnel are involved in search and rescue operations.
Security personnel are searching along riverbanks, flood-affected settlements, roads and landslide-hit areas. The authority said rescue and search operations have been challenging because roads and other infrastructure have been damaged in several locations. The death toll from the flood has reached 1,204.
2 rescued, 15 still missing in Sankhuwasabha flood
Search and rescue operations have been intensified in the affected districts. According to the authority, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, East Nawalparasi, West Nawalparasi, Tanahun and Chitwan, among other districts, have been affected by the flood.
Spokesperson Mahat said 115 bodies have so far been recovered in Rasuwa, 155 in Nuwakot, 60 in Dhading, 69 in Gorkha, 217 in East Nawalparasi, 202 in West Nawalparasi, 38 in Tanahun and 348 in Chitwan.
The Nepal Army has given high priority to aerial rescue operations. So far, it has airlifted 4,091 Nepali citizens and 273 foreign nationals from the affected areas.
During search and rescue operations, the Army has conducted 690 flights so far. On Wednesday alone, it carried out 80 flights, according to the authority.
The private sector has also supported rescue and relief operations through 29 flights. Aerial rescue and delivery of relief supplies are being carried out in remote areas and locations cut off from road networks.
According to the authority, 45 Nepal Army personnel, 25 Nepal Police personnel and 13 Armed Police Force personnel remain missing following the flood. Fourteen customs officials, three immigration officials and around 865 people from Rasuwa are also reported missing.
A further 1,558 people from Nuwakot, 583 foreign nationals and 164 Nepali citizens who were travelling with tourists remain unaccounted for, the authority said.
The authority also reported that around 900 people working at hydropower projects remain missing, along with three employees of Langtang National Park, three quarantine office personnel, seven elected representatives, 32 local government employees or staff working under local authorities, and one private school employee.
The government continues to provide relief and rescue assistance to flood-affected communities. Food, non-food items, medicines and health supplies are being sent to the affected areas.
With the disaster causing extensive loss of life and property and thousands of people still missing, search and rescue operations have been intensified. Expanding access to relief, healthcare and essential supplies in affected areas remains a priority.
Security agencies, local governments and other government bodies continue to work on rescue and relief operations following the extensive human and physical damage caused by the flood. The authority said search efforts would be further intensified given the large number of people still missing.
