Bhotekoshi floods: 2,715 people rescued; 1,321 remain missing

KATHMANDU: A total of 2,715 people have been rescued from areas hit by the Bhotekoshi floods on Wednesday, while 1,321 remain missing in Nuwakot and Rasuwa, Nepal Police said.

As of 2:00 pm on Sunday, 768 bodies had been recovered from various districts, police reported. Those include 13 in Rasuwa, 50 in Dhading, 37 in Tanahun, 52 in Nuwakot, 58 in Gorkha, 264 in Chitwan, 194 in Nawalparasi East and 100 in Nawalparasi West.

Security personnel are among those unaccounted for, with authorities reporting 44 members of the Nepal Army, 27 from Nepal Police and 13 from the Armed Police Force missing.

Search and rescue operations are continuing across affected districts. A joint force of 600 security personnel, supported by helicopters and trained dogs, has been mobilised, and teams from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and other agencies remain deployed to locate survivors and recover the missing.

Chief District Officer Shambhu Prasad Regmi said 84 people, including security personnel and employees of the Nepal Electricity Authority, are engaged in search and rescue at the Upper Trishuli III A hydropower project, and operations are also under way at Trishuli III B.

Some of the injured rescued from various locations have been brought to Kathmandu for treatment. One hundred and sixty people have been taken to the federal capital so far, and some have already been discharged after receiving care in different hospitals.

Among those rescued nationwide, 2,225 are Nepali nationals and 231 are foreigners. The District Disaster Management Committee in Nuwakot said 2,456 people have been rescued from Nuwakot and Rasuwa to date, and 64 bodies have been collected in those districts. Of the missing, 1,109 are Nepalis and 157 are foreigners; 55 bodies have not yet been identified.