Jakarta, ThedailyID — Thousands of people are feared to remain trapped under mud and debris after flash floods and landslides swept across the Nepal-Tibet border on Wednesday (26/8).
Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said on Thursday (27/8) that 13,295 personnel had been deployed for search and rescue operations. The teams include police, soldiers, and armed police forces.
Authorities have also mobilized 15 helicopters, including six operated by the Nepal Army and nine private aircraft. So far, 1,976 people have been rescued by helicopter, while thousands more are believed to remain trapped.
The disaster initially was reported to have been triggered by an earthquake that caused ice and rock avalanches into the Lhende Khola River. However, further analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) found no evidence of an earthquake preceding the landslide and flash flood.
The disaster has also severely damaged vital infrastructure across the affected areas. Nepal’s Department of Roads reported that 35 motorable bridges and 45 suspension bridges were destroyed, while around 40 kilometers of paved roads were damaged.
Floodwaters turned roads along Nepal’s rivers into thick stretches of mud. Telecommunications networks and cellular towers have stopped operating, while electricity supplies have also been disrupted.
The disruption has left around 250,000 people in the worst-hit districts effectively isolated. Several power generation and distribution facilities were also affected, including 14 hydropower projects.
Rescue teams continue searching affected areas as authorities work to restore access and essential services amid the widespread destruction.
