NEW DELHI: Nepal has suspended all non-essential search and rescue operations 40 days after the August 26 Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods, which left 1,455 people dead and 5,285 missing. The country is now shifting its focus to reconstruction and rehabilitation. Those still unaccounted for include 189 Indians and dozens of people of Indian origin holding foreign passports.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah. It followed recommendations from district security and disaster management committees, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and teams that inspected flood-hit areas.
The council recommended that the finance ministry approve Nepalese Rs 559 billion (Rs 35,000 crore; $3.6 billion) for 504 reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes submitted by ministries and agencies. The NDRRMA was tasked with seeking additional funds for projects whose costs were yet to be assessed.
Shah said federal, provincial and local governments would coordinate the rebuilding effort and strengthen early-warning systems.
“We are mobilising the available resources and human resources to complete disaster management work as soon as possible, so I urge you to remain assured on this matter,” Shah said.
The latest data from Nepal’s tourism department showed that 606 foreign tourists from 36 countries remained missing. Indians formed the largest group, with 189 missing, followed by 65 Americans, 55 Malaysians, 54 Ukrainians, 37 Chinese, 33 each from Australia and Latvia, 32 British nationals and 30 Canadians.
Another 188 Nepali tourists, including guides and support staff accompanying foreign groups, were also missing.
Separately compiled figures from Indian states showed that 85 people were missing from Tamil Nadu, 37 from West Bengal, 30 from Gujarat, 25 from Telangana, 22 from Uttar Pradesh, 13 each from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, 12 from Bihar, more than 10 from Maharashtra and four from Odisha.
