Kathmandu [Nepal], August 30 (ANI): Reinforcing the state's commitment to relief and reconstruction, Prime Minister Balen Shah on Saturday declared that the Government of Nepal remains on high alert and will operate at full capacity until every flood-affected citizen is safe and rehabilitated following the catastrophic August 26 Bhote Koshi River floods.
In a Facebook post, he detailed an extensive, multi-agency response to the disaster that has heavily impacted downstream communities across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, and Dhading, asserting that "protecting the lives of every affected citizen remains the government's top priority."
Addressing the immediate response efforts, Prime Minister Balen Shah highlighted the scale of search and rescue operations conducted under challenging terrain and weather conditions:
Air and land operations have successfully evacuated over 7,500 people to safety, including 279 workers trapped in various hydroelectric project sites.
18,708 security personnel from the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force are deployed alongside 16 helicopters (military and private), which have completed 236 rescue missions. International experts from India and China are actively assisting on the ground.
Mobile military hospitals in Dhunche and Battar--supplemented by specialist medical teams sent from Kathmandu--are treating the injured across five strategic locations, backed by a newly launched national 'Blood Information Portal'.
To maintain morale among frontline personnel operating in high-risk zones, the Prime Minister announced an immediate increase in daily snack allowances and incentive pay for deployed security forces.
Addressing logistics and civil management, PM Shah emphasised that immediate shelter and infrastructure recovery are moving in tandem.
18 relief camps (3 in Rasuwa, 15 in Nuwakot) and temporary housing in public buildings are currently sheltering approximately 3,500 displaced citizens.
NPR 67.5 million has been disbursed directly to 15 local levels across five districts from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority fund to maintain essential services.
Emergency crews have restored 90 Nepal Telecom and 71 Ncell towers. Critical ground routes--including the Kathmandu-Tokha-Dhunche section, the Galchhi-Malekhu stretch of the Prithvi Highway, and alternative tracks to Dhading Besi--have been reopened, reconnecting isolated districts to the national network.
Prime Minister Balen Shah stressed the need for total transparency in managing financial aid, noting that the official Prime Minister's Relief Fund has accumulated over NPR 5.04 billion and $1.8 million USD across commercial accounts, tracked publicly via an official 'Rescue Request Portal'. Citizens and donors were urged to contribute strictly through official government QR codes to prevent financial fraud.
International partners have pledged and delivered substantial aid: $167 million USD concessional loan (World Bank), $5 million USD grant and $150,000 USD technical aid (ADB), $500,000 USD (United States), $1 million AUD (Australia), and 1 million Swiss Francs (Switzerland via UN channels).
India has delivered 57.5 tons of emergency medical and humanitarian supplies, along with 2,000 airtight body bags. China is sending matching humanitarian aid and body bags, while Nepal has formally requested 30 Bailey bridges from Beijing to restore destroyed river crossings.
Addressing the sensitive issue of casualties, PM Shah confirmed that 675 bodies have been recovered across eight districts. Management is being conducted strictly under the Unidentified and Unclaimed Body Management Directives, 2026, ensuring DNA sampling and proper records before final rites are administered for unidentifiable victims.
Closing his address, Prime Minister Balen Shah called on mass media and social media users to combat misinformation and focus on boosting community morale, reiterating that the state apparatus will remain deployed in full force until rescue and long-term reconstruction goals are fully achieved. (ANI)
"We will not stop until every citizen is reached": Nepal PM Balen Shah pledges continuous action in wake of devastating Bhote Koshi floods
