Find the Missing, Care for the Survivors

The scale of the Bhotekoshi flood disaster is becoming clearer, and the numbers are grim. By Thursday, 165 bodies had been recovered, while 826 people were still missing, including 579 tourists. Among those unaccounted for are 44 Nepali Army personnel, 28 Nepal Police personnel and 13 Armed Police Force personnel. These are not merely figures in a government report. Behind every number is a person, a family anxiously waiting for news and a community trying to make sense of an unimaginable loss. The flash flood on August 26 tore through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli corridors with extraordinary force, carrying water, debris and huge boulders in its path. Homes and businesses were swept away, while bridges, roads, power facilities and communication networks were damaged. The destruction has spread across Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading, while communities farther downstream in Gorkha and Chitwan remain at risk. At least 35 motorable bridges, 45 suspension bridges and 40 kilometres of paved roads have been damaged. With 826 people still unaccounted for, the search must remain the government’s overriding priority. This cannot be treated as a routine rescue operation that winds down after a few days. As long as there are credible leads, the search must continue. The Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have already mobilised 7,415 personnel. They should use every available means, including helicopters, boats, drones, search dogs, technical teams and local volunteers, wherever conditions allow. Phone records, eyewitness accounts, CCTV footage and information from residents should be collected and carefully verified. Even a small lead could bring a family closer to an answer.