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

Heavy rains and fog have halted Nepal's search and rescue efforts for thousands of people missing in devastating floods that swept through an area near the Chinese border. So far, 626 fatalities have been confirmed, with 2,426 others still unaccounted for, including numerous tourists and pilgrims from India, Malaysia, the US, Britain and other nations.

Nepal has mobilized over 15,000 military and police personnel to tackle rescue missions, particularly in settlements submerged in debris and at hydropower plants where workers are trapped. The country requires assistance from abroad to rescue victims trapped in tunnels, clear transportation and communication lines through destroyed bridges, and conduct DNA testing and body identification.

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has requested specialized services and technical aid, emphasizing the need for international support. Hundreds of survivors are receiving treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in the capital, where over 60 people have gathered daily to await news about their loved ones. Families anxiously await updates, with some expressing little hope given the prolonged absence of contact.

A tour operator in Kathmandu reported that 55 of his company's trekkers and staff, including his brother who was guiding a group, remain missing. An Indian-American woman, who was on a pilgrimage marking her 50th birthday, is among those unaccounted for. Nepal's Finance Minister estimates the rebuilding process will cost between $4 and $5 billion.

India has dispatched three flights carrying approximately 60 tonnes of relief material, including blankets, medicine, food, and water purification tablets. They also intend to dispatch a tunnel rescue team and medical assistance. New Delhi has pledged its disaster response force and prefabricated bridges to aid in restoring connectivity.

Meanwhile, Nepal's authorities are closely monitoring two upstream lakes formed by the flood, one of which may be unstable and harbor risks from over 100 scattered glacial lakes in the region.