Nepal Floods: Rescue ops on, woman loses 5 family members in Rasuwa

Following a devastating flash flood in Nepal's Rasuwa district, rescue operations are in full swing. The death toll has surpassed 460, with hundreds missing. One woman tragically lost five family members, including her mother, in the disaster.

Human Cost and Desperate Searches

Rescue operations are being carried out at a rapid pace using helicopters as emergency responders work to evacuate flood-affected populations to safe locations. At the same time, specialised rescue team members are being deployed via helicopter directly into isolated, flood-affected areas.

Adding to the high human cost of the disaster, harrowing personal stories of loss are emerging from the hardest-hit areas. In the wake of the devastating floods striking Rasuwa, Rani Gupta, a resident of Rasuwa Biravati currently living in Trishuli, lost five members of her family, including her mother, three sisters, and a 5-year-old child. While all roads leading to Rasuwa remain closed, Rani Gupta managed to save her own life but tragically lost all her family members. According to her account, her mother's house was located right next to the bridge in Rasuwa that was completely washed away in the floods. The tragedy unfolded in real time over the phone, as she was actively talking to her mother on the telephone when the flood struck, leading to a sudden and horrifying loss of contact. Overcome with grief, Rani Gupta is currently worried and crying profusely as the catastrophe grips the region.

Amid the ongoing rescue efforts on the ground, anxious residents are crowding around distribution and information points, carefully checking lists of rescued and missing persons in a desperate bid to find information about their relatives. Sharing the anguish of the community, Rani Gupta told ANI, "My brother-in-law is missing. We searched for him but could not find him." Another local whose brother remains unaccounted for made an emotional plea to authorities for urgent intervention. Expressing deep concern, he told ANI, saying, "We need to get my brother out somehow. He has been missing for three days. What should we do? His name isn't on this list. There is hope. I request that the government please save my brother."

Wider Humanitarian Response and Disaster Scale

Building on the wider humanitarian response, rescue and relief operations are in full swing across flood-affected regions as UNICEF representatives arrive in Nuwakot to evaluate the situation and provide critical aid to displaced populations. Speaking during the ground assessment, a UNICEF member told ANI, detailing the ongoing response efforts by stating, "We are assessing the situation. Yes, we coordinate with the Nepal government."

The wider crisis stems from a catastrophic flash flood that struck the Tibet-Nepal border on August 26, sending a powerful surge of water, sediment, and boulders through the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems and leaving widespread devastation in its wake. Nepal is currently grappling with the aftermath of the major flash flood that struck the Rasuwa district on Wednesday morning.

Disaster Statistics

According to Nepal Police, the overall death toll due to the disaster has risen to 469 on Friday, while 1,545 people were injured and rescued. The Chitwan district recorded the highest death toll with 178 bodies recovered, followed by 110 in NP East, 44 in Gorkha, 37 in Nuwakot, 33 in Dhading, 28 in Tanahun, 27 in NP West, and 12 in Rasuwa. Authorities have successfully rescued 644 people from Rasuwa, 898 from Nuwakot, and three from Dhading. Meanwhile, 28 police personnel remain missing amid the floods.

Government and International Aid

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), 977 people were missing as of Thursday. In response, Nepal Police has deployed 4,348 personnel for ongoing rescue operations. The Government of Nepal has also dispatched NPR 25 million in cash for relief, allocating NPR 10 million each for Rasuwa and Nuwakot, and NPR 5 million for Dhading.

On the international front, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday expressed sadness over the severe flooding in Nepal and China, stating that the disasters had claimed lives, left people missing, and caused widespread destruction. In a post on X, Guterres conveyed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and wished a swift recovery to the injured. "I am saddened by the severe flooding in Nepal & China, which has claimed many lives, left people missing, and caused widespread destruction. I extend my condolences to the families of the victims, and I wish a swift recovery to those injured. My solidarity is with all those affected," Guterres said.

Highlighting the UN's ongoing support, he added, "In Nepal, the @UN is supporting the Government-led response," noting that UN teams and humanitarian partners were mobilising supplies and personnel to support affected communities. Additionally, the United States and the World Health Organization (WHO) have extended support, with Washington announcing USD 500,000 in assistance and the WHO dispatching emergency medical supplies. President Droupadi Murmu expressed solidarity with Nepal, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah, stating that India is ready to provide all possible humanitarian assistance.

Rescue of Indian Nationals

Furthermore, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) released the names of 63 Indian nationals working at the Trishuli-I project in Nepal who have been rescued, noting that 288 Indian nationals remain uncontactable.

Coordination for Foreign Nationals

To manage foreign rescue coordination, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Thursday established an Emergency Control Room (ECR) to coordinate assistance for foreign nationals affected by the devastating Bhotekoshi flash floods in Rasuwa district. In a notice, the ministry stated that the ECR will serve as the central coordinating body for search and rescue, information verification, and consular assistance for foreign nationals affected by, missing in, or otherwise connected to the flood incident.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)