Nepal needs help in technical areas, not search and rescue, foreign minister says

Nepal requires foreign expertise in specialized and technical fields to address the aftermath of a devastating flood that struck its border with China, but not for general search and rescue efforts, according to the country's foreign minister.

The flood, triggered by a glacier collapse on August 26, unleashed a torrent of rock, ice, mud, and debris. It has resulted in nearly 600 fatalities in Nepal and China's Tibet region, with more than 2,000 people still missing.

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal specified that Kathmandu needs assistance in areas such as extracting individuals trapped in tunnels, reopening transport and communication lines where bridges have been destroyed, and aiding in the identification and longer-term storage of bodies. He noted that requests for such specialized services and technical know-how have already been made.

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We have already made requests for such specialised services and technical assistance in areas where we don’t have enough expertise and technical knowhow.

Neighboring giants India and China have been asked to provide bailey bridges to restore early transport and communication in the disaster-affected region, where approximately two dozen bridges were destroyed. Earlier, Nepal's foreign ministry had indicated that the country could manage rescue efforts independently, declining foreign involvement.

Khanal clarified the government's stance, stating there was no need for general search and rescue assistance as Nepali rescuers were already handling those operations. "We think there is no need for repetition in this," he said.

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We think there is no need for repetition in this.