Nepal Halts Search-And-Rescue After Bhotekoshi-Trishuli Floods

KATHMANDU, Oct 5 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Nepal has decided to halt the search-and-rescue phase launched following the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers on Aug 26, as hopes of finding survivors among those missing have faded 40 days after the disaster, the Prime Minister’s Secretariat said on Monday, reported Xinhua.

A meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Monday, directed the relevant agencies to accelerate reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts while continuing only essential search operations.

The Secretariat said the decision was taken based on recommendations from district security committees, district disaster management committees, the Executive Committee of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), and findings from field inspections.

As many as 1,455 people have been confirmed dead and 5,285 remain missing as of Oct 3 following the deadly floods, according to the NDRRMA.

The meeting also decided to propose a budget of 559.18 billion Nepalese rupees (US$3.62 billion) to the Finance Ministry for plans and programmes aimed at reconstructing and rehabilitating areas affected by the floods and other monsoon-related disasters.

During the meeting, Shah said disaster management efforts had been carried out through coordination among the federal, provincial and local governments, adding that reconstruction and rehabilitation would also proceed through the same mechanism.

-- BERNAMA-XINHUA