Nepal seeks foreign expertise after deadly floods

Nepal is appealing for international technical and specialized expertise to aid its recovery from devastating floods that swept away villages and claimed hundreds of lives. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal stated that the nation lacks the necessary skills in critical areas, including rescuing people trapped in tunnels and reopening vital transport and communication links severed by the disaster.

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Nepal has need of specialized and technical help from abroad after Wednesday's devastating floods, which have claimed hundreds of lives.

The country also requires foreign assistance for the identification of the deceased, including DNA testing and long-term body storage. The floods, triggered by a glacial lake outburst, unleashed a tsunami-like wall of debris that devastated a border region between Nepal and Tibet. Official figures report nearly 600 deaths, with over 2,400 people still missing, a number that includes hundreds of foreign tourists.

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The country does not have the technical expertise in a number of areas itself.

Nepal has specifically requested temporary bridges from India and China to quickly restore connectivity in the affected areas where numerous bridges were destroyed. Emergency teams are working tirelessly to find survivors amidst widespread destruction, with dwindling supplies of food and water reported. The search efforts are hampered by the threat of further flooding, as large artificial lakes formed by the ice and mud pose a direct danger to rescue personnel.

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This includes rescue of people trapped in tunnels.