Kathmandu: After the flash flood in Nepal, the situation is getting worse every day. As of Monday, 903 people have been confirmed dead, while more than 4000 people are still missing. These include about 320 foreign nationals. NDRF and Army teams are searching day and night for people, but rescue is becoming very difficult in bad weather and hilly areas.
How many bodies have been found in which area?
According to the data of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, maximum 272 bodies have been recovered from Chitwan. Bodies of 207 people were found in Nawalparasi East, 151 in Nawalparasi West and 62 in Gorkha. 95 bodies have been recovered from Nuwakot, 55 from Dhading, 37 from Tanahun and 24 from Rasuwa. According to officials, searches are still going on in many areas.
Is there a threat of flood again in Nepal?
After the first devastation of floods, now another danger warning has been issued. Officials have sent alerts to people living in the affected areas through mobile phones. In this, information was given about the rise in the water level of Bhotekoshi river and people were asked to be careful. The concern of the administration has also increased because huge damage has already been done in many areas.
What happened due to flood in Trishuli river?
On Sunday, news of flood in Trishuli river also came to light. The suspension bridge connecting Ghyaalchok and Charaudi near Prithvi Highway in Gorkha district was washed away due to strong currents. The collapse of the bridge affected local connectivity and posed another challenge to the agencies engaged in relief work.
What did Prime Minister Balendra Shah say on the situation?
Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah has described the current situation as an ‘unimaginable and heart-breaking’ disaster. He said that the flood of Bhotekoshi river in Rasuwa has caused huge damage to life, property and infrastructure. According to the Prime Minister, it is not easy to collect the complete data of loss due to bad weather, inaccessible areas and constant danger. Despite this, the government has expressed confidence in continuing the rescue operation.
Why is there difficulty in identifying dead bodies?
With the increase in the number of dead, Nepal has also faced the problem of keeping the dead bodies safe and identifying them. Due to shortage of space in the mortuary, the authorities have decided to bury unidentified and unclaimed bodies after taking their DNA samples. Later, efforts will be made to identify these dead bodies through DNA testing.
What has India sent to help Nepal?
India has sent NDRF and expert forensic teams to help Nepal in relief and rescue operations. The Indian team is assisting Nepalese authorities in analysing DNA samples to identify the deceased. The team has also interacted with officials of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory of Nepal Police and the forensic department of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu.
What is the biggest difficulty in the rescue operation?
Reaching many parts of Nepal still remains a challenge for relief teams. Heavy rains, rising water levels of rivers and inaccessible hilly terrain have made the operation difficult. On one hand, the administration’s focus is on searching for the missing people, while on the other hand, emphasis is also being laid on providing necessary relief material to the affected families.
