Nepal ends 40-day flood search with 5,285 still missing, 1,455 confirmed dead

Nepal has 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, and is shifting focus to reconstruction and rehabilitation (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/nepal-ends-flood-search-with-over-5000-still-missing-including-189-indians/articleshow/134720060.cms).

The decision was taken on Monday at a meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah, on the recommendations of district disaster management committees, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and teams that inspected the flood-hit areas (https://www.orissapost.com/nepal-floods-1455-dead-5285-missing-as-rescue-operations-end/).

Among the missing are 606 foreign tourists from 36 countries, according to Nepal’s tourism department, with Indians forming the largest group at 189, followed by 65 Americans, 55 Malaysians and 54 Ukrainians; a further 188 Nepalese tourists are also missing (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/nepal-ends-flood-search-with-over-5000-still-missing-including-189-indians/articleshow/134720060.cms).

The council recommended that the finance ministry approve NPR 559 billion (about $3.62 billion) for 504 reconstruction and rehabilitation programmes, with the NDRRMA tasked with seeking further funds for costs not yet assessed (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/after-40-days-nepal-ends-flood-search-with-5285-still-missing/articleshow/134707559.cms).