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

Nepal has suspended its search and rescue operations due to adverse weather conditions, seeking external technical assistance to manage the catastrophic floods that have claimed at least 626 lives and left 2,426 people unaccounted for. Among the missing are numerous tourists and pilgrims from India, Malaysia, the US, Britain, and other nations.

China reported seven fatalities and 554 people missing in Tibet. Nepal has mobilized over 15,000 military and police personnel for rescue missions in treacherous terrain, including areas covered in debris and hydropower plants where workers remain trapped in tunnels. The government has requested specialized assistance from abroad, particularly for rescuing victims trapped in tunnels and restoring communication and transportation lines damaged by debris.

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal emphasized the need for overseas help in identifying recovered bodies through DNA testing and storage. Families anxiously await news of their loved ones, as dozens of survivors receive treatment at a hospital in the capital. Resham Tamang, 28, has been visiting the hospital daily, hoping to find out the fate of five missing friends and relatives.

Gopal Thapa, managing director of Leaf Holidays, Treks and Expeditions, reported that 55 people from his company are still missing, including his brother, a guide who was last in contact four days ago. An Indian-American woman on a pilgrimage to mark her 50th birthday, Jiwan Jyoti, is from Boston and was last seen at Hotel Kailash.

India has dispatched three flights carrying relief supplies, including blankets, medicine, food, and water purification tablets, and has pledged to send a tunnel rescue team and medical aid. The country estimates the rebuilding efforts will cost between $4 and $5 billion.