Prime Minister Balen addressed the House of Representatives today to inform about the rescue, relief, and reconstruction works done by government after the Bhote Koshi flood in Rasuwa.
Prime Minister Balen today addressed the House of Representatives to give detailed information about the ongoing rescue, relief, and rehabilitation works in the flood-affected areas of Rasuwa. The Prime Minister expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the massive flood that occurred in the Bhote Koshi river on Bhadau 10, expressing heartfelt condolences to the grieving families and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.
The Timeline of the Disaster and Immediate Response
On Bhadau 10, at around 8:45 AM, the first news of the heavy flood in the Bhote Koshi river reached the government. The Prime Minister was preparing to answer questions in Parliament at that time. Immediately, instructions were given to the District Disaster Management Committee to take safety measures. By 9:00 AM, local administrations warned residents near the riverbanks to move to safer locations. Shortly after, at 9:15 AM, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority held an emergency meeting to plan the rescue operations.
To reach out to the locals quickly, warning messages were sent to the mobile phones of citizens in the affected areas by 9:35 AM. The first Nepal Army helicopter took off for rescue operations at 9:45 AM, and private helicopters were kept on standby. By 10:00 AM, the Monsoon Command Post of the Nepal Army met to organize search and rescue teams. At 10:30 AM, search and rescue teams were positioned at Tribhuvan International Airport, and security personnel from different forces were deployed to the affected regions.
The Prime Minister presided over a meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management at 11:00 AM. In this meeting, security chiefs were directed to prioritize saving lives and use helicopters and drones. By 12:30 PM, an emergency Cabinet meeting decided to declare 15 affected local levels as disaster crisis zones for three months. The government decided to providing immediate financial aid to the families of the deceased and manage free medical treatment for the injured.
By 1:00 PM, discussions were held with federal MPs from the affected areas and local representatives. To keep communication open, mobile services including voice, data, and SMS were made completely free for the users in the affected areas by that night. On Bhadau 11, the Prime Minister visited the affected site by road along with the Infrastructure Development Minister and met with the Chief Minister of Bagmati Province to coordinate the work.
Rescue Updates, Financial Aid, and International Support
The government has mobilized massive resources for the rescue operations. So far, a total of 11,993 people have been successfully rescued from the affected areas. However, 3,916 people are still missing. Among the 292 injured people who were admitted to various hospitals, 182 have already been discharged, and others are receiving treatment. A special medical team has been sent from Kathmandu to provide treatment and mental health counseling to the victims.
To help the victims, the government is collecting funds through the Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund. So far, Rs. 7 arba 88 lakh 57 thousand 217 has been collected in the fund. Out of this, Rs. 1 arba was released to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. A sum of Rs. 6 crore 75 lakh has already been sent to 15 municipalities across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, and Tanahun. The remaining balance in the fund is Rs. 6 arba 88 lakh 57 thousand 217, along with an additional 61 lakh 41 thousand 702 US dollars.
Many international friends have also come forward to help Nepal in this difficult time. Countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, USA, Australia, UAE, Qatar, Switzerland, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, and UK have sent their support. International organizations like the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, European Union, and United Nations are also helping with relief efforts.
Damage to Infrastructure and Restoration Works
The flood has caused huge damage to roads, bridges, and hydropower projects. Around 95 percent of communication services have been restored, and 30 satellite phones are being used in places with no network. The flood heavily damaged 8 operating hydropower projects with a capacity of 281 megawatt and 4 under-construction projects of 388 megawatt. A total of 431.1 megawatt of electricity generation has been stopped. Electricity has been restored to 85 percent of Nuwakot, 98 percent of Dhading, and 40 percent of Rasuwa.
The Galchhi-Betrawati-Rasuwagadhi road and the Galchhi-Mugling section of the Prithvi Highway suffered major damage. Debris has been cleared from several parts of the highway to resume transport. The flood damaged 48 suspension bridges and washed away 31 motorable bridges. The government has started installing Bailey bridges in critical areas like Tadidevi Ghat and Betrawati. The damaged section of the Muglin-Narayangadh road at Krishnabhir will be fully repaired within the month of Bhadau.
Management of Dead Bodies and Climate Change Concerns
So far, 1,114 dead bodies have been recovered from different locations. Out of these, 95 bodies have been identified and handed over to their families. The unidentified bodies are being buried safely according to scientific and legal procedures after keeping their DNA samples. These will be handed over to their families once the DNA matches so they can perform final rites according to their religion.
Experts have pointed out that this huge disaster was caused by an avalanche and ice landslide in the Himalayan region of Rasuwa. This event shows that the threat of climate change is rising in our mountains. The Prime Minister stressed that Nepal must raise this issue strongly before the international community as climate change is a global problem that requires global responsibility.
AI Disclaimer: This article was originally published on https://bajarkochirfar.com. It has been translated with the help of AI. For the best understanding and accurate facts, we recommend reading the original Nepali version.
