Kathmandu, 16 September (H.S.): Search and relief operations continued in Nepal on Wednesday, the 21st day since the devastating floods that struck the country on August 26. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the bodies of 1,399 people have so far been recovered, while 5,179 people remain missing.

Around 21,000 security personnel continue to be engaged in search, rescue and relief operations. Search efforts are being conducted in tunnels of hydropower projects, along riverbanks, in surrounding forests and inside houses damaged by the floods. According to Nepal Army spokesperson Rajaram Basnet, around 8,900 army personnel have been directly deployed for search, rescue and coordination operations.

Around 5,000 personnel of the Armed Police Force are also participating in the operation. Along with conducting rescue operations, they are using drones to assist the search. Approximately 8,000 Nepal Police personnel have also been deployed for search and rescue operations. Five Nepal Police offices in Rasuwa and Nuwakot were swept away in the floods and have yet to be fully restored.

Three Army teams have been deployed for search and rescue operations in the Syafrubesi area of Rasuwa. A large part of the Syafrubesi market was swept away in the floods, while damage to the road leading to the area also delayed relief and search operations.

The Army is also conducting foot patrols in several areas, including Affected Colony, Tupche, Dansing, Samari Bhanjyang, Kalikasthan and Manche. The use of drones has been increased to deliver relief supplies to remote areas cut off from road connectivity. Nepal Army drones have so far delivered 16,138 kilograms of relief and essential supplies to Nuwakot and 5,861 kilograms to Rasuwa.

Timure, a major trading market near the Chinese border, suffered extensive destruction in the floods. Almost all government offices in the area were swept away, except the Armed Police Force’s Border Outpost (BOP). Even three weeks after the disaster, government agencies other than the Armed Police Force have not been able to fully reach the area.

More than 100 bodies have been recovered from Timure market, but excavation work in houses destroyed by the floods has not yet begun. The absence of local elected representatives and Nepal Police personnel has also affected the excavation and recovery process.

Road connectivity to Timure has been completely severed. There is no road leading to the Rasuwagadhi border point, located about two kilometres uphill from Timure, while the road connecting Timure to Syafrubesi, approximately 16 kilometres downhill, has been completely washed away.

Joint rescue teams, working with foreign technical experts, are conducting search operations inside the tunnels of the Chilime and Langtang hydropower projects. At the Chilime project tunnel, the rescue team has reached approximately 130 metres inside after creating an opening at the point where water was draining out. Excavators and loaders are being used to remove debris.

At the Upper Trishuli-1 project’s ‘Audit-3’ section, a joint rescue team comprising Nepal Army personnel and project representatives has reached approximately 600 metres inside the tunnel. Meanwhile, joint teams are also conducting search operations in the tunnel and powerhouse area of Trishuli-3A.

At Trishuli-3B, a joint team, including Nepal Army personnel, is engaged in removing debris with excavators and loaders. In the project’s residential area, no structures other than the plinths of two residential buildings have so far been located.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar