Kathmandu: Nepal has suspended most search and rescue operations 40 days after devastating floods killed at least 1,455 people, with 5,285 others still missing.
The decision was taken on Monday at the 21st meeting of Nepal’s National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah. The government is now shifting its main attention towards rehabilitation and reconstruction in areas affected by the disaster.
Essential search operations can still be carried out, while emergency rescues will continue if needed. Authorities will also recover human remains, property and valuables if they are found during rehabilitation and reconstruction work.
The disaster struck on August 26 and caused widespread destruction along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems, severely affecting several parts of Nepal. Rasuwa and other districts along the affected river systems suffered extensive damage.
Officials said 13,795 people were rescued during the emergency response. However, the large number of people who remain missing means the human impact of the disaster is still unresolved.
Authorities are also considering legal procedures for people who have been missing since the disaster. Such procedures could allow families to deal with matters including insurance, banking and other legal responsibilities.
The government is now preparing a major reconstruction programme for communities and infrastructure damaged by the floods. It has recommended that the Finance Ministry approve 559.17 billion Nepalese rupees for 504 reconstruction and rehabilitation plans and programmes.
The proposed funding is separate from the wider estimated cost of recovering from the disaster. Authorities have said that nearly $5 billion will be needed for early recovery and rehabilitation of thousands of people displaced by the floods.
The damage has left a major reconstruction challenge for the country. Twelve hydroelectric projects were destroyed, while roads, bridges, farms and settlements were also severely damaged.
The scale of destruction has affected communities that depend on transport links, agriculture, electricity and other basic infrastructure. Restoring these services is expected to be a major part of the rehabilitation effort.
The large number of people still missing remains one of the most difficult issues facing the authorities. Families continue to wait for information about relatives who disappeared during the disaster, while officials work to establish the status of those who have not been found.
The shift towards reconstruction comes after weeks of efforts to find survivors and recover people who died in the floods. Although the active search phase has largely been suspended, authorities have made clear that essential operations and emergency rescues can still take place.
For Nepal, the priority has now shifted from emergency response to a much longer process of rebuilding homes, restoring infrastructure and helping affected communities recover their livelihoods.
Thousands of families are still waiting for information about missing relatives, while many communities face the difficult task of rebuilding after losing homes, roads, bridges and sources of income. The government now faces the challenge of carrying out a large scale recovery programme while continuing to support those affected by one of the country’s most devastating recent flood disasters.