After 40 days, Nepal ends flood search with 5,285 still missing

NEW DELHI: Nepal on Monday suspended all non-essential search and rescue operations 40 days after the Aug 26 Bhotekoshi-Trishuli floods, which left 1,455 people dead and 5,285 missing. It is now shifting focus to reconstruction and rehabilitation. Those still unaccounted for include 189 Indians and dozens of people of Indian origin holding foreign passports.The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, chaired by PM Balendra Shah. It followed recommendations from district security and disaster management committees, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and teams that inspected flood-hit areas.The council recommended that the finance ministry approve Nepalese Rs 559 billion (Rs 35,000 crore; $3.6 billion) for 504 reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes submitted by ministries and agencies, with NDRRMA tasked with seeking additional funds for projects whose costs were yet to be assessed. Shah said federal, provincial and local govts would coordinate the rebuilding effort and strengthen early-warning systems.“We are mobilising the available resources and human resources to complete disaster management work as soon as possible, so I urge you to remain assured on this matter,” Shah said.Latest data from Nepal's tourism department showed 606 foreign tourists from 36 countries missing. Indians formed the largest group at 189, followed by 65 Americans, 55 Malaysians, 54 Ukrainians, 37 Chinese, 33 each from Australia and Latvia, 32 British nationals and 30 Canadians. Another 188 Nepali tourists, including guides and support staff accompanying foreign groups, were also missing.Separately compiled figures from Indian states showed 85 missing from Tamil Nadu, 37 from West Bengal, 30 from Gujarat, 25 from Telangana, 22 from Uttar Pradesh, 13 each from Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, 12 from Bihar, more than 10 from Maharashtra and four from Odisha.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.