It has been nearly 4 weeks since the devastating floods in neighboring Nepal, and the search for the 6,000 people who remain missing continues. The death toll in this disaster has crossed 1,450.
In many places, roads and bridges have been severely damaged, leaving people struggling to return to normal life.
A massive glacier collapse that occurred on Aug. 26 on the Tibet-Nepal border sent a mud-laden flood surging through the Bhotekoshi River, causing devastation in Nepal’s central and northern districts. Riverside villages and small towns were wiped off the map. Numerous houses, buildings, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure were swept away.
So far, the bodies of 1,451 people have been recovered in the ongoing rescue operations in flood-affected areas. The highest number, 367 bodies, were found in Chitwan district. The bodies of more than 1,000 people have still not been identified.
So far, 13,784 people have been rescued. The status of about 6,000 people, including 275 missing Indians, is still unknown. Search operations continue in riverbeds, piles of debris, and damaged hydropower station tunnels. In the tunnel of the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower station in Rasuwa district, the bodies of 17 people have been recovered.
In the massive flood, numerous bridges, suspension bridges, roads, and other infrastructure were severely damaged. The Nepal government has undertaken efforts to rebuild them. Due to the lack of bridges and roads, people have been forced to take detours of several kilometers.
They have been facing great difficulty in reaching essential places such as markets, schools, and hospitals. In the Tibet region, 43 people have died in the flood; the whereabouts of more than 500 people who went missing are still unknown.
Prime Minister Balen Shah to travel to the United States tomorrow: Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah is set to leave for the United States on Tuesday (Sept. 22) to participate in the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
‘Climate change is the reason for Nepal’s disaster; this truth must be loudly conveyed to the international community. Because the international community has a role and responsibility in the issue of climate change,’ Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah had recently said in Parliament.
Similarly, Nepal’s Foreign Minister Sushil Koirala had said that “major countries such as China, the United States, and India, which emit large amounts of greenhouse gases, have a responsibility to provide compensation to affected countries like Nepal.”
In this context, Balen Shah, who is scheduled to speak at the UN General Assembly session on Sept. 24, is expected to raise the demand for climate change compensation with the international community.
It is noteworthy that Nepal has said that $4.78 billion (Rs. 45,700 crore in Indian currency) is needed to carry out reconstruction work in areas devastated by floods in Nepal.