Nepal Declines Foreign Rescue Aid After Devastating Flood

Nepal's government has declined offers of international assistance for search and rescue operations following a devastating flash flood that struck the Rasuwa district. The foreign ministry stated on Friday that while offers of help are natural, the country's own security agencies are currently conducting the operations and do not require external support.

This decision comes despite numerous official and unofficial requests from countries and organizations, including India, China, the US, UK, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, to deploy their own search and rescue teams. The Kathmandu Post reported that the government's response has been that Nepal's security agencies possess the capability to manage the situation effectively.

A senior foreign ministry official cited the experience of the 2015 Nepal earthquake as a key factor in this decision. During that disaster, an influx of foreign search and rescue teams reportedly led to significant coordination and management challenges. The current decision was made based on recommendations from the Nepali Army and police, aiming to streamline the response efforts.

Meanwhile, the foreign affairs ministry has established an emergency response team (ERT) to specifically assist foreigners affected by the floods. This team will serve as a central coordinating body within the ministry, facilitating search, rescue, information verification, and consular assistance for foreign nationals impacted by the incident. The death toll from the flood has reached 469, with nearly 1,000 people missing, including at least 540 foreigners.

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The offer for help is natural. Our security agencies are doing the search and rescue operation. For now we don’t require such help.