Kathmandu: Nepal has requested specialised foreign assistance as authorities respond to the devastating Himalayan floods and continue recovery efforts.
A glacier collapse on August 26 sent a huge torrent of rock, ice, mud and debris through mountain river systems. The disaster killed more than 600 people in Nepal and China’s Tibet region. More than 2,000 people remain unaccounted for.
India, China, the United States, Britain, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh asked Nepal to allow search-and-rescue teams to assist with the operation.Nepali rescuers are already handling general search and rescue and additional teams are not needed.
Nepalese Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal stated that Kathmandu needs expertise in areas where local capacity remains limited. These include rescuing people trapped inside tunnels and restoring transport and communication services in places where bridges have been destroyed.
Khanal also identified the identification of dead bodies and DNA testing as areas where international technical assistance could help. Support is also needed to store bodies for longer periods as authorities continue recovering victims.
India and China were asked to provide Bailey bridges to reopen transport and communication in the disaster-hit region. About 2 dozen bridges have been destroyed by the floods. The temporary bridges could help reconnect affected areas.
Many bodies have been washed downstream and recovered from Chitwan and Nawalparasi in the plains. The areas are about 100 km (60 miles) from ground zero. Khanal remarked that hospitals have been overwhelmed by bodies and face shortages of refrigeration facilities.
The floods also caused extensive damage to schools, hospitals, hydroelectric plants, roads and other infrastructure. Khanal added that some people may be trapped inside hydroelectric tunnels. Nepal has limited experience with tunnel rescue and needs specialised equipment and technical knowledge. Further foreign support is expected to be needed for reconstruction and rehabilitation.
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