Search and rescue efforts in Nepal after flooding

Nepali authorities have completed a search and rescue operation to search for missing people after a devastating flood in August that killed at least 1,455 people.

“We are moving from the search and rescue phase to the search and rehabilitation phase,” said Panindra Poudel, head of the National Emergency Management Center.

At least 5,285 people are still missing and 13,795 people have been rescued.

Poudel said authorities were considering legally recognizing the missing as dead so that their families and relatives could complete insurance payments, bank transactions and other legal formalities.

The head of the National Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, Dharam Raj Upreti, said authorities would no longer actively search for the bodies of those killed. At the same time, during the restoration work, the discovered remains, property and other valuables will be recovered. He said emergency rescue operations would continue if necessary.

Authorities also said nearly $5 billion is needed to quickly recover and rehabilitate thousands of flood victims.

Flooding in Nepal began on the morning of August 26 after the descent of ice-stone mass in the upper reaches of the Bhote Koshi River in the north of the country. The stream passed through the settlements of Timure and Siabrubesi, and then affected the territories downstream of the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers. It destroyed homes, roads, bridges and energy infrastructure.

At the initial stage, authorities reported hundreds of missing and dead. The army, police and mountain rescuers were involved in search and rescue operations, helicopters, drones and service dogs were used to search for people.