RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – The UAE Search and Rescue Team is actively engaged in field missions within Nepal’s flood-affected Rasuwa district. Their deployment aims to assist Nepalese authorities in locating victims and providing relief in regions impacted by the flood caused by the Bhote Koshi River on August 26. Ground search efforts and on-site surveys are underway, utilizing drones for aerial imaging, mapping, and three-dimensional modeling. This technology enables responders to pinpoint search locations and access areas where floodwaters have disrupted infrastructure and blocked access routes.
In coordination with local authorities, the UAE team directs search activities across Rasuwa. Hamoud Al Afari, director of UAE relief operations, highlighted that the technological tools available are crucial in the ongoing efforts to find missing persons. The team’s deployment followed assessments of flood and landslide-affected zones. Search teams have encountered difficulties accessing certain areas where extensive damage has compromised roads and basic infrastructure. They continue to blend ground operations with aerial reconnaissance to evaluate the extent of damage and guide search activities effectively.
The UAE’s relief team arrived in Nepal on the third flight bringing aid on September 4, accompanied by 20 tonnes of supplies. Officials confirmed that this flight increased the total relief delivered by the UAE to Nepal to 148 tonnes. The specialized search team includes personnel from Dubai Police and is equipped with advanced technical tools for disaster response. The UAE Aid Agency is providing a $10 million aid package to support communities affected by the floods and landslides. Previous flights transported essential items such as food, shelter materials, generators, and other vital supplies.
Search operations expand across flood-affected Rasuwa
The District Administration Office in Rasuwa reported that, by the evening of September 6, they had conducted 1,356 rescue operations. These included 1,270 Nepali citizens and 86 foreign nationals. Authorities also indicated that helicopters had evacuated 1,414 individuals impacted by the floods and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. The district continues to update its records of people reported out of contact following the disaster. These records include local residents, security personnel, government workers, bank employees, and foreign tourists.
As of the latest update, authorities recovered 169 bodies from affected regions, with six identified and ongoing efforts to identify the remaining victims. Nepal Police have requested relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to submit DNA profiles for comparison with recovered remains. Priority is given to samples from first-degree relatives when available. Families abroad can electronically submit DNA profiles for matching. Authorities are actively maintaining updated lists of missing and unreachable individuals.
Relief efforts proceed alongside search missions
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs reported that the Bhote Koshi flood struck Rasuwa at approximately 8:40 a.m. on August 26. The floodwaters also caused damage in riverbank areas of Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. In response, the government launched search, rescue, and emergency relief operations. Local authorities documented destruction to roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower facilities. Relief supplies have been distributed at multiple locations, with ongoing assessments of physical destruction and human losses.
The UAE team’s activities in Rasuwa are part of a larger rescue and relief effort led by Nepalese authorities. Their current focus involves conducting searches, aerial surveys, and detailed mapping to aid ground teams. UAE relief personnel are also providing food parcels, essential supplies, and other aid in affected regions. As they work amidst the destruction, local authorities continue to update records related to rescue, recovery, and missing persons. On September 7, the district’s records remained actively under revision.