‘Stand together’: Nepal PM Balen Shah appeals for unity after deadly floods

Nepal Prime Minister Balendra 'Balen' Shah on Wednesday appealed for unity and patience as the country battled catastrophic flash floods that killed at least 95 people and left hundreds missing, assuring affected families that the government would take responsibility for their rescue, treatment, food and shelter.

In his first public remarks following the disaster, Shah said the state was deploying all available resources for search, rescue and relief operations in the worst-affected areas. The floods swept through villages in Rasuwa district near the Nepal-Tibet border after a massive surge entered the Bhote Koshi river system on Wednesday morning. Roads, bridges, houses, hydropower facilities and electricity infrastructure were damaged as torrents of water and debris moved downstream.

Rescue, search top priority

Shah said the immediate priorities were saving injured people, locating those still missing and ensuring the safety of communities affected by the floods. The Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force were deployed soon after the scale of the disaster became apparent. Additional personnel were also moved from other districts to reinforce operations in the flood-hit areas.

Helicopters have been deployed to reach locations cut off after roads and bridges were destroyed. More than 250 civilians had been rescued by the Nepal Army, while injured people were being transported to Kathmandu for treatment. Medical teams, ambulances, the Nepal Red Cross Society and Nepal Scouts were also mobilised as part of the wider emergency response. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority was activated to coordinate operations, while emergency meetings of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management and the Cabinet were held to assess the damage and accelerate relief measures.

Shah also directed chief district officers in affected areas to immediately evacuate people living in vulnerable downstream settlements.

Hundreds remain missing

The scale of the missing-person crisis remained a major concern on Wednesday evening. According to Nepal Tourism Board figures reported during the day, hundreds of travellers were unaccounted for in the affected region, many of them foreign nationals travelling to or returning from the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage.

At least 105 Indians were among those reported missing, along with citizens of several other countries. Authorities cautioned that the figures could change as communications were restored and rescue teams reached isolated areas.

A group of 77 pilgrims associated with the Isha Foundation was also reported missing after being caught in the disaster near Gyirong in Tibet while returning from Kailash Mansarovar. Police and security personnel were themselves among those unaccounted for in the Rasuwa region.

Residents moved to safer areas

The Nepal government maintained heightened alerts in districts downstream from Rasuwa, including Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan. Authorities were instructed to move residents of vulnerable riverbank settlements to safer locations amid concerns over unstable conditions upstream and the possibility of further flooding. Shah held discussions with lawmakers representing five affected districts to assess the situation in their constituencies and identify immediate requirements for relief and rehabilitation.

The Prime Minister also appealed to social organisations, businesses, volunteers and members of the public to contribute to the rescue and relief effort from their respective locations. He assured those affected by the disaster that they would not be left to confront the crisis alone and said the state would deploy its resources to support them.