KATHMANDU, Sept. 6: Communications Minister Bikram Timilsina has said the government is leaving no stone unturned in search and rescue operations in flood-affected areas.
Speaking at a meeting of the Nuwakot District Disaster Management Committee in Bidur on Saturday, Timilsina said the government has continuously conducted search, rescue and medical operations following the Bhotekoshi flood while arranging safe and suitable accommodation for affected people at holding centers.
Govt leaves no stone unturned for search and rescue efforts in...
More than 21,000 personnel from the joint security forces have been deployed in affected areas, he said. Up to 25 helicopters a day, along with necessary equipment and relief supplies, have been mobilized to accelerate rescue operations, with the government now preparing to shift its focus toward recovery.
“We have ensured there are no shortcomings in rescue operations, whether by land or air, and have not allowed complaints of delays to arise,” Timilsina said. Security personnel remain deployed to search for missing people and recover buried personal belongings and property.
He said rescuers also worked around the clock inside a hydropower project tunnel damaged by the flood, achieving positive results. Given the scale of the destruction, he said identifying access points and conducting continuous searches helped save lives and demonstrated the government’s active response.
Timilsina pledged that the state would continue searching for missing people without considering the cost, ensuring no area remains inaccessible if there is even a chance of saving a life.
He urged residents not to rush to rebuild settlements in flood-damaged locations, saying the government is preparing immediate and long-term recovery plans. He said settlements such as Betrawati should instead be rebuilt in safer locations, with government support and grants.
The government is also working to restore daily life by opening alternative routes where roads have been cut off and installing Bailey bridges where permanent bridges have been washed away, he said, emphasizing coordination among the three tiers of government.
