The Nepalese government has announced the end of search and rescue operations following the devastating floods in August that claimed the lives of at least 1,455 people. The fate of over 5,200 people in the affected areas remains unknown.
elchi reports that search and rescue efforts have been officially halted after the floods, which began on August 26th along the border with China’s Tibet region and are remembered as one of the most destructive natural disasters in the country’s history.
According to statements made by officials on Monday, while the confirmed death toll stands at at least 1,455, 5,285 people are still considered missing. A total of 13,795 people have reportedly been rescued alive as a result of weeks of intensive operations.
Phanindra Paudel, head of the National Emergency Operation Center, informed international news agencies that they have now moved beyond the search and rescue phase and are transitioning to the recovery and restoration phase.
Paudel noted that they will initiate a legal process to allow the families of the missing to complete insurance, banking, and other administrative procedures; he also emphasized that work is underway to officially declare the missing persons deceased and that the necessary legal procedures have been initiated.
Dharam Raj Uprety, head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, stated that officials will no longer actively search for bodies, but any remains, personal belongings, or valuables discovered during the recovery and reconstruction process will be preserved. However, Uprety stressed that rescue operations could be reactivated if an urgent need or warning arises.
The floodwaters, which caused widespread destruction, also severely impacted Nepal’s infrastructure. Numerous roads, bridges, agricultural lands, and settlements, as well as 12 hydropower projects, were rendered completely unusable as a result of the floods. Officials, who have prepared a comprehensive recovery program to help thousands of displaced people rebuild their lives and to rapidly restore damaged infrastructure, state that an estimated budget of $5 billion is required to complete all these tasks.
Shayesta
Deadly floods in Nepal: Over 5,200 still missing!
