Nepal reverses decision, agrees to foreign flood rescue aid amid pressure

Nepal's government has reversed its stance on seeking international assistance for the Bhotekoshi flash flood rescue operations. Initially, on Wednesday, officials stated that Nepali rescuers were capable and would not permit foreign teams. However, this decision lasted less than a day.

Intense diplomatic pressure from nations whose citizens are among the missing prompted the change. A senior government official confirmed the reversal, stating, "We received massive pressure from the international community to allow at least search-and-rescue teams and some experts because their citizens have also gone missing in the floods." The government will now permit a limited number of foreign experts for specific tasks.

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We received massive pressure from the international community to allow at least search-and-rescue teams and some experts because their citizens have also gone missing in the floods. We are allowing a limited number of experts in certain areas.

The devastating flash flood impacted settlements along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers, resulting in over 550 confirmed deaths as of Friday. A staggering 977 people, including 517 foreigners from 31 countries, remain missing. Indian nationals constitute the largest group of missing persons, followed by Americans, Ukrainians, Australians, and Britons.

Nepal has approved limited foreign expertise from India, China, Australia, and South Korea for tunnel rescues, DNA testing, and forensic examinations. Despite offers of assistance from several other countries, their requests have not been entertained. Embassy officials expressed concern over the lack of progress in locating their missing nationals, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

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Three days have passed with no concrete progress in tracing our people. We are really concerned about them. But our requests for support have not been entertained.