13,000 security personnel deployed, 1,976 rescued in Bhotekoshi floods

KATHMANDU: A total of 13,295 security personnel, 15 helicopters and thematic emergency coordination teams have been mobilized for rescue, relief and rehabilitation following the floods in Rasuwa.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has formed 12 thematic emergency coordination teams for search, rescue, health service, communications and power restoration, road operation, relief distribution, international assistance and information management in the flood-hit areas.

According to the NRA, 15 helicopters, including six from the Nepal Army and nine from the private sector, have been mobilized for rescue and relief work in the flood-hit areas. A large number of security personnel including Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been mobilized for ground and air rescue. According to the report, a total of 1,976 people have been rescued so far.

A total of 13,295 security personnel, including 7,250 from Nepal Police, 4,200 from the Nepal Army and 1,845 from the Armed Police Force, have been mobilized to intensify search and rescue operations in the flood-hit areas.

Snow-rock collapse flood

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According to the NRA, on August 2, 2008, a large earthquake was caused by the fall of snow-rock in the northern area of Lhende River along the Nepal-China border. The incident indicated a magnitude 5. Seismic signal equal to 2. According to the NRA, there was a massive flood in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river banks due to the fall of the glacier.

Immediate search and rescue, emergency health service, restoration of communications and electricity, operation of road network, relief distribution, international assistance and information management have been prioritized in the flood-hit areas.

130 injured, undergoing treatment in hospital

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According to the NRA, 130 people have been injured in the floods so far. Of them, 67 are undergoing treatment at various hospitals, 48 have been discharged after treatment and 14 have been referred to other hospitals for further treatment.

Nine hundred and 77 uncontacted

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According to the NRA data, 977 people are missing so far. Similarly, 389 bodies have been recovered till 10:00 pm on Thursday. Of them, 33 were found in Dhading, 28 in Nuwakot, 17 in Rasuwa, 32 in Gorkha, 87 in Nawalparasi East, 27 in Nawalparasi West, 28 in Tanahun and 137 in Chitwan.

Of the 977 people who are out of contact, 28 are from the Nepal Police, 45 from the Nepal Army, 13 from the Armed Police Force Nepal, 15 from the Customs Office, four from the Immigration Office and 161 from Rasuwa. The report states that the number of foreign nationals who are out of contact is 517 and out of the number of Nepali nationals who have visited Nepal and are living abroad, 127 are out of contact.

Equipment deployed at various places to open the road

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Equipment has been deployed on various road sections to resume the road blockade due to the floods. The work of clearing the obstruction of the road at Devighat has been completed. Equipment has been deployed to remove the obstruction on the Galchhi-Bidur-Trishuli and Baireni-Muglin road sections.

One hill excavator, one loader and one tipper have been deployed on the Dhunche-Grang road section. Similarly, three heavy equipment has been deployed in the Bidur-Trishuli-Dhunge section. One backhoe has been deployed in the Baireni-Muglin section and one more wheel loader is being added from Nuwakot road division soon.

Two heavy equipment of Kathmandu under the Department of Roads have been kept ready to remove the road obstruction. One equipment each has been kept at Road Division Mulkot and Road Division Dumre (Khaireni). Similarly, nine heavy equipment and four tippers are kept ready in Janakpur.

Immediate relief in three districts

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The government has sent Rs 10 million to Rasuwa, Rs 10 million to Nuwakot and Rs 5 million to Dhading for immediate relief distribution.

Similarly, relief materials have been sent to the affected areas from Kathmandu and other areas. Food, water, tarpaulin, blankets, sleeping materials, solar lamps, generators, power banks, sanitation and health related materials are being distributed to the affected families.

According to the NRA, 500 nets, 4,200 20-litre buckets, 1,000 children’s dignity kits, 100 white tarpaulins, 150 sleeping bags, 100 mattresses, 700 blankets, 500 plastic sheets, 100 rolls of rope, 1,000 solar lamps, 500 solar lamp plates, a generator with 30 KVA capacity, power bank, 200 tents, two portable generators, 2,120 period panties and 90 corpse bags have been sent to the relief materials.

Preparing to ease fuel supply

According to the NEA, 23,000 liters of diesel and 6,000 liters of petrol are in stock at Bhairavi, Suryamati and Panchakanya oil stores in Nuwakot. On Thursday, 18,000 liters of diesel and 18,000 liters of petrol were sent to the flood-affected areas to avoid fuel shortage.

Various 12 thematic emergency coordination teams deployed

A total of 12 thematic emergency coordination teams have been formed to coordinate and make the flood response more effective. These teams cover areas ranging from search, rescue and relocation to communications, electricity, health, dead body management, international assistance, transportation, damage assessment, relief and air operations.

The search, rescue and evacuation team comprises of the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force Nepal and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. The emergency health and medical response team includes the Ministry of Health and Population, the Nepal Army and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The body management team includes the Ministry of Health and Population, the Armed Police Force Nepal, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

The International Assistance and Donor Coordination Team comprises the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Social Welfare Council, the Nepal Army and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Transport and Road Connectivity team comprises the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Department of Roads, Nepal Army, Road Board, Federation of Transport Entrepreneurs, Nepal Police and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. The Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment team consists of the National Planning Commission, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority and the National Statistics Office.

The Missing Persons and Family Assistance team comprises the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force Nepal and Nepal Army. The relief team consists of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority and the Health and Food Hygiene Agency.

Similarly, the Airport and Air Operations Coordination Team consists of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Nepal Army, private airlines companies and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Similarly, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Assistant Chief District Officers of Nuwakot and Rasuwa have been given the responsibility to make public the names of the rescued, disappeared and deceased. Trekking has been arranged through the Setu app for collecting and searching the details of the contactless persons.

The Emergency Communication Restoration Team comprises the Ministry of Information and Communications, Ministry of Home Affairs, Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Nepal Telecommunication Authority, Nepal Telecom and Ncell. The team will be deployed for the rehabilitation of communication infrastructure and emergency communication services.

Similarly, the Electricity Restoration and Backup Power team includes the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Nepal Electricity Authority, Nepal Oil Corporation, Nepal Police and Ministry of Home Affairs. The team has been mobilized to restore power supply and manage the necessary alternative power in the affected areas.

Additional risk persists

Although the immediate impact of the Bhotekoshi flood is decreasing, the risk of more major floods remains. According to the preliminary analysis of the satellite image taken at 11:44 am on August 24, the lake was formed due to the blockage of the flow of the Lhende River in the upstream area about 18 km from the Rasuwagadhi checkpoint.

The NRA has urged the residents of the lower riparian areas and everyone concerned to take necessary precautions and remain on high alert, saying there is a risk of major flooding if the natural dam of the lake breaks. It has been predicted that there may be more lakes in the area. Therefore, the people living in the lower banks of the Lhende Khola, Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers have been urged to be constantly aware of the surface of the river, the flow and the information issued by the administration.