Kathmandu, 7 Sep: Today, the nation is in mourning. The country is grieving the lives lost in the devastating flood that struck the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa on Bhadra 10, the pain of families who have lost their loved ones, and the thousands of eyes still waiting in hope for those who have not returned.
The pain left behind by the Bhotekoshi flood will not disappear quickly. Thousands of families are still searching for their loved ones, hundreds have been left homeless, and the destruction of infrastructure means it will take time for normal life to resume. National Mourning Day is not only a day to pay tribute to those who lost their lives; it is also a day for the nation to reaffirm its commitment to intensify the search for the missing, safely return displaced people to their homes, and rebuild lives shattered by the disaster.
On the 13th day since this devastating incident, the government is observing National Mourning Day on Monday. The government decided to observe national mourning across the country to pay tribute to the deceased and express the state’s solidarity with bereaved families. Home Ministry spokesperson Anand Kafle said that the national flag will be flown at half-mast at government offices throughout Nepal as well as at Nepali embassies and diplomatic missions abroad.
The wound inflicted by the Bhotekoshi flood is so deep that many families are still waiting for the bodies of their loved ones, while others continue to hope that their missing relatives may return alive. Some families who have lost their homes are spending their days in temporary shelters.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, 13,399 people have so far been rescued from various flood-affected districts, while approximately 4,196 people are still unaccounted for. The flood has resulted in 1,342 human casualties, according to the available details. So far, 98 bodies have been identified and handed over to their families.
Those unaccounted for include members of the general public, security personnel, government employees, and foreign nationals. According to details obtained from the District Administration Office, Rasuwa, approximately 1,857 Nepali citizens are missing, while details received from Nuwakot indicate that around 2,340 Nepali citizens remain unaccounted for. Approximately 100 security personnel and government employees and around 599 foreign nationals are also missing.
State Mobilizes in Search of Missing Persons
From the very first hours of the disaster, the state’s entire security apparatus has been mobilized for search and rescue operations. Thousands of personnel from the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force have been continuously engaged in rescue operations despite difficult terrain, blocked roads, and dangerous river currents.
According to Shanti Mahat, spokesperson for the authority, 21,465 security personnel have been deployed for search, rescue, and relief operations in the affected areas. The Nepali Army has conducted 1,045 flights using its aircraft, while private-sector aircraft have carried out 129 flights to intensify search, rescue, and relief efforts.
Even security personnel who lost their own colleagues in the flood have set aside their personal grief and continued their rescue duties. Forty-five Nepali Army personnel, 25 Nepal Police personnel, and 12 Armed Police Force personnel remain unaccounted for following the Bhotekoshi flood. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the fate of their own colleagues, security personnel continue to search for missing people and rescue victims in the affected areas.
The Nepali Army has established a forward headquarters, an emergency medical rescue team, and a main forward air base at the Maithili Barracks in Trishuli Battar, Nuwakot, to conduct rescue operations. A tactical headquarters, forward medical team, and additional air base are also operating in Dhunche, Rasuwa.
Treatment and Shelter Alongside Rescue
Efforts to provide immediate health services to injured and affected citizens have also been intensified following the floods. So far, 6,073 people have received health services, while 323 people are currently receiving treatment at various hospitals. The Nepali Army has provided medical services to 3,288 people, while the Armed Police Force has treated 2,462 people.
Holding centers have been established in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading to accommodate rescued citizens and provide them with immediate assistance. Currently, 3,912 people are staying at these holding centers. Food, generators, hygiene kits, student kits, and other relief materials have been provided to them. Psychosocial counseling is also being provided to help reduce the psychological trauma experienced by disaster-affected people.
Difficult Challenge of Rehabilitation
Alongside the immediate rescue and relief phase, the state now faces the difficult task of rehabilitation and reconstruction. The floods have caused extensive damage to roads, bridges, settlements, electricity infrastructure, and hydropower projects.
Electricity supply is gradually being restored. Power has been restored to 78 percent of households in Rasuwa, 96.7 percent in Nuwakot, and 99.8 percent in Dhading. However, rebuilding damaged roads and bridges, safely resettling displaced families, restoring livelihoods, and reconstructing destroyed infrastructure remain immediate challenges.
Authority spokesperson Mahat said that, alongside rescue operations, the state’s focus will now shift toward providing safe housing, restoring livelihoods, rehabilitating affected communities, and rebuilding damaged physical infrastructure.
