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Rescue operations continued in flood-ravaged Nepal on Saturday (August29), but poor weather disrupted helicopter sorties as authorities searched for hundreds of people still missing four days after devastating flash floods struck areas near the China border.
The floods, triggered by a glacier collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday (August 26), sent water, mud, rocks and debris through river systems in central Nepal.
The disaster has killed more than 500 people, while thousands have been rescued and a large number remain unaccounted for.
Nepali Army spokesperson Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet said helicopter operations were on hold until weather conditions improved. Ground search operations continued at several locations, including the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project in Rasuwa district.
More than 100 people are believed to be trapped inside a tunnel at the hydropower project, according to authorities. Rescue teams have been using ropes and baskets to reach those inside, but several feet of mud and difficult terrain have complicated the operation.
Rescuers have also remained on alert over the risk of further flooding from a lake that formed in the Himalayas following the glacier collapse. Chinese monitoring data showed that the lake's water level had fallen by about 10 metres from its peak recorded on Thursday.
India sends 11-member specialist team
India has sent an 11-member team to Nepal to assist with specialised rescue and medical operations following a request from the Nepal government.
The team includes medical personnel and tunnel-rescue specialists. Nepal has said its own security forces will continue to lead general search and rescue operations, while foreign assistance is being sought for areas requiring specialised expertise.
Nepal has also requested India and China to help build 42 Bailey bridges to restore transport links after several bridges were destroyed in the floods.
Indians among those missing
The disaster has left hundreds of Indians unaccounted for or stranded in the affected border region.
The Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday (August 28) that around 320 Indians remained missing, while about 400 Indians were stranded on the Chinese side. A total of 153 Indians stranded in Tibet had safely crossed into Nepal, while 21 others had reached New Delhi.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority said 10 people from the state were currently reported missing in Nepal. The figure was revised down from 12 after families confirmed that two people were safe.
An Isha Foundation group of 77 pilgrims from 19 nationalities also remained out of contact after the floods struck the Gyirong area, according to the organisation's coordinator.
Infosys separately said its subsidiary Infosys Public Services' chief, Lax Gopisetty, was unreachable after visiting the region in a personal capacity. The company said it was working with relevant authorities and remained in contact with his family.
Search continues along Nepal-China border
Search and rescue operations are continuing in Nepal and China's Tibet region, including at the badly damaged Gyirong border crossing.
Authorities have been recovering bodies from areas downstream as floodwaters and debris moved through central Nepal. Officials have also warned that the death toll and number of missing people could change as rescue teams reach isolated areas and families provide updated information.
The floods have damaged homes, roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and hydropower infrastructure across the affected areas.
With weather conditions limiting aerial operations, rescue teams are continuing ground searches for survivors and people trapped in debris and flooded structures.
-With agencies inputs
The floods, triggered by a glacier collapse near the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday (August 26), sent water, mud, rocks and debris through river systems in central Nepal.
The disaster has killed more than 500 people, while thousands have been rescued and a large number remain unaccounted for.
Nepali Army spokesperson Brigadier General Raja Ram Basnet said helicopter operations were on hold until weather conditions improved. Ground search operations continued at several locations, including the Upper Trishuli-1 Hydropower Project in Rasuwa district.
More than 100 people are believed to be trapped inside a tunnel at the hydropower project, according to authorities. Rescue teams have been using ropes and baskets to reach those inside, but several feet of mud and difficult terrain have complicated the operation.
Rescuers have also remained on alert over the risk of further flooding from a lake that formed in the Himalayas following the glacier collapse. Chinese monitoring data showed that the lake's water level had fallen by about 10 metres from its peak recorded on Thursday.
India sends 11-member specialist team
India has sent an 11-member team to Nepal to assist with specialised rescue and medical operations following a request from the Nepal government.
The team includes medical personnel and tunnel-rescue specialists. Nepal has said its own security forces will continue to lead general search and rescue operations, while foreign assistance is being sought for areas requiring specialised expertise.
Nepal has also requested India and China to help build 42 Bailey bridges to restore transport links after several bridges were destroyed in the floods.
Indians among those missing
The disaster has left hundreds of Indians unaccounted for or stranded in the affected border region.
The Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday (August 28) that around 320 Indians remained missing, while about 400 Indians were stranded on the Chinese side. A total of 153 Indians stranded in Tibet had safely crossed into Nepal, while 21 others had reached New Delhi.
The Assam State Disaster Management Authority said 10 people from the state were currently reported missing in Nepal. The figure was revised down from 12 after families confirmed that two people were safe.
An Isha Foundation group of 77 pilgrims from 19 nationalities also remained out of contact after the floods struck the Gyirong area, according to the organisation's coordinator.
Infosys separately said its subsidiary Infosys Public Services' chief, Lax Gopisetty, was unreachable after visiting the region in a personal capacity. The company said it was working with relevant authorities and remained in contact with his family.
Search continues along Nepal-China border
Search and rescue operations are continuing in Nepal and China's Tibet region, including at the badly damaged Gyirong border crossing.
Authorities have been recovering bodies from areas downstream as floodwaters and debris moved through central Nepal. Officials have also warned that the death toll and number of missing people could change as rescue teams reach isolated areas and families provide updated information.
The floods have damaged homes, roads, bridges, schools, hospitals and hydropower infrastructure across the affected areas.
With weather conditions limiting aerial operations, rescue teams are continuing ground searches for survivors and people trapped in debris and flooded structures.
-With agencies inputs
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