Nepal flood death toll at 616: ‘At least $4 billion’ needed for recovery; the minister denies the rejection of foreign aid — 5 points | Today’s news
More than 600 people have died and nearly 2,500 are missing in massive flash floods that swept through the Nepal-Tibet border region on Wednesday. The number rose as search and rescue efforts continued in several places in Nepal and China’s Tibet. Here’s the latest you need to know about the Nepal floods.
1. The number of floods in Nepal has risen to 616
At least 616 people have been killed in devastating floods in the Nepal-Tibet border region, Nepalese police told AFP on Saturday. The death toll rose from 553 dead, which police reported on Friday.
Meanwhile, as many as 1,924 remain missing, including hundreds of foreigners from India, Malaysia, Australia and the US, Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said in a post on X. That is nearly double its previous estimate of the missing.
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
The death toll from recent floods in Nepal has risen to at least 616, with nearly 2,500 reported missing.
Nepal estimates it needs $4 billion to $5 billion to rebuild due to extensive flood damage affecting infrastructure and livelihoods.
Nepal has said it prefers to deploy its own security forces for rescue work, while being open to international assistance in specialized areas of expertise.
Nepal is seeking foreign assistance in technical areas such as tunnel rescue, restoration of transport services, identification of deceased persons and DNA testing.
The Government of Nepal believes that there is currently no need for foreign search and rescue teams as local rescuers are managing operations effectively.
Chinese state media had earlier confirmed seven dead, bringing the total death toll to at least 623. It added that 554 people were missing on the Chinese side.
Meanwhile, the number of missing passed 2,400 on Friday as rescue teams said they had found 623 bodies – with some dead possibly swept downstream as far away as India, AFP reported.
More than 3,700 people have been rescued in Nepal so far.
2. “Nepal needs at least $4 billion to rebuild”
Nepal needs $4 billion to $5 billion to rebuild after devastating floods hit its border areas this week, Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle told Reuters on Saturday.
“This is just an estimate. Losses and damage are being assessed,” he told AFP.
3. Nepal denies that it rejected help from the international community
Nepal on Friday denied rejecting help from friendly countries and the international community, saying it wanted to “prioritize” the maximum deployment of its own security forces, which know the local environmental conditions and rugged terrain.
Speaking to the National News Agency (RSS), Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said, “International aid was not rejected, but the rescue strategy was decided based on national capacity, immediate need and Nepal’s unique geographical situation.”
Read also | Flash floods in Nepal trigger Gandak alert in Bihar; several districts at risk
“Given that the deployment of an external rescue team in unfamiliar terrain can complicate coordination and technical management and can also create unforeseen risks, rescue operations were carried out using available national capacities,” the minister said.
Khanal emphasized that the government is ready to accept international assistance in difficult cases where special technical skills are required for extremely complex physical structures.
4. “Nepal needs help in technical areas, not search and rescue”
Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told Reuters on Friday that the country needs foreign help not in search and rescue but in specialized and technical areas where it lacks expertise in the aftermath of devastating floods.
The statement came after the Kathmandu Post earlier reported that India, China, the United States, Britain, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had asked the government to allow their search and rescue teams to assist in the operation.
Read also | Nepal faces the threat of fresh floods as China warns of breaching of a lake near the Tibetan border
Shisir Khanal reportedly said Kathmandu needed foreign assistance in areas such as rescuing people trapped in tunnels, opening transport and communication services in places where bridges were destroyed, identifying dead bodies, DNA testing and long-term storage of bodies.
“We have already requested such specialized services and technical assistance in areas where we lack expertise and technical know-how,” Khanal said late on Friday.
Neighbors India and China have been asked for a rampart to restore timely transport and communication in the disaster-hit area, where about two dozen bridges have been destroyed.
Read also | Nepal flooded with major updates: At least 469 dead, over 1,000 missing
Earlier on Friday, Nepal’s foreign ministry said Kathmandu could manage rescue efforts on its own for now, ruling out foreign involvement.
Asked about his government’s stance, Khanal said there was no need to help with the general search and rescue efforts being carried out by Nepali rescuers. “We don’t think it needs to be repeated,” he said.
5. The 11-member Indian team arrives in Nepal
An 11-member Indian team arrived in Nepal on Saturday to help local authorities after flash floods that have killed more than 600 people and left nearly 2,000 others missing.
The team, which includes medical personnel and tunnel rescue experts, was sent at the request of the Nepalese government, Indian embassy sources told PTI.
Nepal has asked India and China to help build 42 Bailey bridges to restore transport services in flood-hit areas. Portable bridges are designed for quick assembly without heavy equipment or special tools.
