Nepal says post-flood reconstruction could total ‘billions of dollars’

Kathmandu - Nepal's reconstruction expenses following catastrophic floods could reach "billions of dollars," Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal warned on Saturday, as officials confront the devastation's magnitude. Speaking to journalists in Kathmandu, Khanal stated that conducting a comprehensive assessment of the losses and damage would likely involve "perhaps billions of dollars."

He requested assistance from the international community to aid in the reconstruction process. Three days post the disaster, Khanal emphasized that the immediate priority is rescuing lives, but the scale of the calamity has already overwhelmed the government's resources. The rescue teams have recovered 626 bodies, while more than 2,426 people remain missing.

Khanal requested specialized support to identify and preserve the retrieved bodies, noting that many have been submerged for an extended period, posing a risk of swift decomposition. He also expressed concern over the government's limited healthcare capacity to securely store the bodies until their identification. The minister further outlined the challenges in identifying the deceased, highlighting the need for forensic capabilities such as DNA sampling and testing.