Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah on Wednesday detailed the government’s response to the devastating flash floods in Rasuwa and Nuwakot, saying rescue of people was the top priority.
“We are with the country in these difficult times. The incident took place around 8:30 AM. As soon as we got to know about the incident, we alerted our teams. A meeting was called at 9:15 AM. Helicopters were kept on standby. At 10:30 AM, our emergency rescue teams were ready to be deployed. Rescue of the people was our priority,” Shah said.
He added that Army helicopters were instructed to carry out rescue operations in the affected areas. “At around 1 PM, we could establish contact with the local MP and MLA,” he said.
“At around 7 PM, people were asked to start contributing to the PM Relief Fund. Rs 1 crore each was provided for Rasuwa and Nuwakot. A specific team was formed to search and rescue foreign nationals. Women, children and elderly people were given priority in the rescue. 10 trucks of relief material were sent, and all ministers decided to contribute one month of their salaries,” Shah said.
He further added a total of 11,993 people have been rescued so far, while 3,916 people are still missing.
According to The Kathmandu Post, Shah, while briefing Parliament on the disaster that has severely affected communities in northern Nepal said the government had to face the destruction caused by the Bhotekoshi floods with “courage and resolve” .
“This is not only the suffering of Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading. It is a shared blow to the heart of the entire country,” PM Shah said.
He said the government recognised that national leaders must offer reassurance and strength during a crisis instead of allowing grief to overwhelm them.
“In this hour of crisis, we have accepted the reality that the country’s leadership must provide courage, support and reassurance, not tears,” Shah said, cited by Kathmandu Post.
“We have no alternative but to fight with determination and courage, and we are fighting,” he added.
Nepal Health Minister Nisha Mehta said India has been providing assistance to Nepal in managing the bodies of those killed in the floods, including through DNA testing and support for setting up a laboratory for DNA management.
The death toll in the Nepal floods has risen to 1,127, according to Nepal Police on Wednesday.
