Nepal Flood Death Toll Crosses 1,200
Over 4,200 people remain missing as rescue operations continue and India steps up humanitarian aid
By Anjali Sharma
WASHINGTON – According to the Nepali official accounts released on Wednesday the death toll in Nepal rose to over 1,200 and some 4200 people are still missing as India boosted up humanitarian assistance to its neighbor – Nepal.
According to the latest local media reports, the death toll from the Bhote Koshi flood-related disaster in Nepal has reached 1,204, while 4,216 people are still missing.
The situation remained fluid, with rescue, recovery and identification operations continuing under extremely difficult terrain and weather conditions, the officials said.
The 5th Indian Air Force plane landed in Nepal on Wednesday, carrying an 11-member rescue team with specialized equipment and 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines, MEA stated.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava handed the fresh tranche of relief material to the local government.
The aid supports the ongoing response to the catastrophic flash floods that struck Nepal after a glacial collapse in Tibet on August 26.
India has rushed over 68 tonnes of emergency relief materials and specialized rescue teams to support Nepal after the devastating flash floods. The deliveries include blankets, sleeping bags, heavy-duty tarpaulins, plastic sheeting and hygiene kits. The supplies also include essential medicines, food packets, solar lamps, water purification tablets and portable generators.
According to local media reports, Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah called for stronger international attention to growing climate-related risks in the Himalayan region as the death toll from devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi River crossed 1,100.
He was addressing the House of Representatives, he said Nepal must highlight more forcefully the disasters it is facing due to climate change.
The experts said an avalanche blocked the Lengde Khola, a tributary of the Bhotekoshi River near the Nepal-China border.
The accumulated water breached the natural barrier, triggering a massive flood that swept downstream towards the Trishuli River and devastated settlements and infrastructure.
Shah said the disaster raised questions about how such an event occurred and what it meant for Nepal’s future.
“The huge disaster, whose impacts of climate change we have suddenly experienced, has kept us working around the clock to manage the damage. At the same time, another profound question has arisen in our minds: How did this disaster come upon us?” he questioned.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal said that the country has begun performing temporary burials for flood victims as search-and-rescue operations are proceeding around the clock in northern and central parts of the country after the catastrophic Bhote Koshi River flash floods.
