Nepal calls for technical help as bad weather hampers search for thousands missing

Nepal has suspended search and rescue efforts due to adverse weather conditions and requested technical assistance to manage the devastating floods that have impacted an area near the Chinese border. As of now, 626 deaths have been confirmed, with 2,426 people still missing, including numerous tourists and pilgrims from India, Malaysia, the US, and Britain. China reported seven fatalities in Tibet, with 554 individuals unaccounted for.

Chief district officer Narendra Pariyar of Nepal's Rasuwa district stated that operations were paused because of the rain and fog, with the primary focus now on transporting rescued individuals to Kathmandu. Nepal has mobilized over 15,000 military and police personnel for challenging rescue missions in areas submerged in mud and at hydropower plants where workers are trapped in tunnels.

The Foreign Minister, Shisir Khanal, acknowledged the nation's need for international aid in rescuing flood victims and repairing damaged transport and communication lines, particularly in areas without sufficient local expertise. Requests for specialized services and technical assistance have already been made.

Hundreds of survivors are receiving medical attention at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in the capital, where photographs of the deceased and missing line the walls. Over 60 people have gathered there, anxious for news about their loved ones whose details have been registered with local police. Resham Tamang, a 28-year-old survivor, expressed little hope, noting that it had been four days with no contact from any of the five family members she is searching for, all workers in Rasuwa.

In Kathmandu, a tour operator named Gopal Thapa of Leaf Holidays, Treks and Expeditions reported that 55 people from his company remain missing, including 46 clients and nine employees. Among them is his 34-year-old brother, a guide who was lost while leading a group. His family remains hopeful for a positive outcome, urging officials not to give up on the search.

Meanwhile, India has dispatched three flights carrying 60 tonnes of relief materials, including blankets, medicine, food, and water purification tablets. They also plan to send a tunnel rescue team and a medical team, as well as prefabricated bridges to restore connectivity. Nepal's Finance Minister, Swarnim Wagle, estimated that the country would require $4 to $5 billion for rebuilding efforts following the flood's devastation.