Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah while speaking in Parliament today thanked India for its quick response to the devastating flash floods, as rescue teams continue searching for survivors and missing people in some of the worst-affected areas. The death toll from devastating flash floods in the Himalayan Nation has risen to 1,204, with nearly 4,216 people still missing, as rescuers battled rain and debris to trace those believed to be trapped in the tunnels along the course of the Bhotekoshi river and underground powerhouses.
Addressing the House of Representatives, Mr Shah acknowledged the emergency assistance provided by India and China, including relief supplies, technical support and rescue personnel.
The Prime Minister said, the devastation caused by the flash floods, stands as a stark warning of escalating climate risks in the Himalayan region and called on the international community to share responsibility for mitigating its impacts. He said, the scale and nature of the disaster raised serious questions about the growing risks faced by people living in the Himalayan region due to climate change. Mr Shah said experts have identified the disaster- one of the largest in the region- as resulting from an avalanche of snow and rock in the high Himalayas. He said, this is a serious signal that, alongside climate change, the risks they must bear in the Himalayan region are increasing. He stressed that Climate change is a product of the whole world’s contribution and mitigating and managing its effects is the shared responsibility of the global community.
On rescue and relief operations, Prime Minister Shah said, security agencies have been deployed across the affected areas, while local authorities have urged people to move to safer locations. He said, army helicopters are carrying out rescue and evacuation operations, with private helicopters also on standby if required.
The Prime Minister also informed the House that local and provincial authorities are working together to restore electricity, water supplies and transport links in the affected areas.
Mr Shah noted that Nepal has already received messages of goodwill and material assistance from multiple countries and multilateral partners, including India, China, the United States, Japan, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the European Union and the United Nations. He informed the House that over 7 billion Nepalese Rupee, has been collected in the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund so far.
Rescue teams are also moving families from high-risk areas to safer locations, clearing roads blocked by debris and coordinating relief and search operations with local authorities and residents. However, continuing rain is disrupting search and rescue operations in Rasuwa and Nuwakot.
