Nepal Seeks Specialist Foreign Support as Catastrophic Flood Leaves Thousands Missing

Kathmandu, Nepal has intensified efforts to locate thousands of people still unaccounted for after a devastating flood swept through Himalayan communities near the Tibet border, destroying homes, bridges, roads and critical infrastructure.

Search and rescue operations were briefly disrupted by rain and poor visibility on Saturday before resuming as weather conditions improved. Officials are now concentrating on difficult rescue sites, including tunnels linked to hydropower projects, while also working to restore transportation and communication routes damaged by the disaster.

The disaster, which followed a glacier-related collapse and sent enormous quantities of water, ice, rocks and mud through mountain river systems, has killed hundreds of people in Nepal and Tibet. Nearly 3,000 people remain missing across the two sides of the border, according to the latest reports.

Nepal Requests Specialised International Expertise

Nepal has clarified that its immediate requirement is not general search-and-rescue assistance but specialised technical support. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said the country needs expertise for rescuing people trapped inside tunnels, reopening transport and communications, identifying victims and carrying out DNA testing. Authorities also require better facilities to preserve recovered bodies for longer periods.

Tunnel rescue has emerged as one of the most challenging aspects of the emergency because several hydropower facilities were badly affected. India and China have begun mobilising technical personnel to assist Nepal with these specialised operations.

Difficult Identification of Victims

The recovery operation has also entered a painful phase as some bodies have deteriorated and become difficult or impossible to identify visually. Authorities have said DNA samples will be collected to help establish the identities of victims and reunite remains with their families.

Hospitals and authorities in affected areas are facing additional pressure because of the number of bodies being recovered and limited storage capacity. The identification process is therefore expected to require substantial forensic and logistical assistance.

Reconstruction Could Cost Up to $5 Billion

Beyond the emergency response, Nepal faces an enormous rebuilding challenge. Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle said the government’s initial assessment puts reconstruction requirements at approximately $4 billion to $5 billion. He stressed that the figure remains preliminary because authorities are still calculating the full extent of the damage.

The floods damaged roads, bridges, hydropower facilities and other infrastructure that are essential to Nepal’s economy. The destruction of transport links is particularly serious because some affected areas are strategically important for trade, tourism and movement between Nepal and China.

Threat From Border Lake Eases

A second danger briefly complicated rescue operations when a lake formed near the Nepal-China border began overflowing toward rivers in Nepal. Authorities temporarily halted some operations because of fears that additional water could trigger another destructive surge.

By Saturday, Chinese authorities reported that the immediate overflow risk had declined and satellite observations indicated that water levels were gradually falling. However, officials continue to monitor the area because the wider region contains numerous glacial lakes that can pose additional hazards.

India and China Provide Assistance

India has already sent relief supplies, including medicines, blankets, food and water-purification materials. New Delhi has also offered specialised tunnel-rescue personnel, medical teams, disaster-response resources and temporary bridges to help reconnect isolated areas.

China has also mobilised tunnel specialists and called for international cooperation in responding to the disaster. Rescue teams on the Chinese side have been working in difficult terrain around the badly damaged Gyirong border area.

For Nepal, the immediate priority remains finding survivors and accounting for the missing. But as emergency operations continue, the country is also preparing for a long and expensive recovery that could require billions of dollars and extensive international technical and financial support.