The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during its third daily press briefing on August 31, said search, rescue and relief remain Nepal’s highest national priority following the devastating Bhote Koshi floods. According to the latest available figures, 903 bodies have been recovered, around 4,200 people remain unaccounted for, and more than 10,000 people have been rescued, including over 323 foreign nationals. About 590 foreign nationals from 39 countries are still reported missing. The government cautioned that these figures may change as identification and verification continue and again urged the public and media to rely on official information.
Nepal is working with specialized international teams alongside its own security agencies. An 11-member Indian tunnel-rescue team and a nine-member Chinese team are working in affected areas, while a team from South Korea has also been mobilized. Eighteen Indian forensic experts specializing in DNA analysis have been in Nepal since August 29, and coordination is underway to bring a Disaster Victim Identification team from Singapore. Nepal has also requested specialized support including LiDAR technology, high-capacity drones, DNA-testing kits, freezers and additional tunnel-rescue expertise. Rescue and relief equipment has already been received or pledged by India, China, Japan, the United States, UAE, South Korea and several other countries and international organisations.
Humanitarian supplies—including tents, blankets, sleeping bags, medicines, food, generators, solar lamps, bridge units and emergency equipment—are being mobilized from numerous partner countries and organisations including the UN, WHO, WFP and UNICEF. The government is conducting a preliminary assessment of damage to homes, roads, bridges, hydropower facilities and other infrastructure, followed by a detailed Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) that will determine rehabilitation and reconstruction requirements. Officials stressed that Nepal will require significant international assistance during the reconstruction phase.
The ministry also said unidentified or badly decomposed bodies have been temporarily buried after DNA samples were collected, allowing families to establish identities and later carry out necessary rituals. Nepal continues real-time exchange of hydrological, meteorological and disaster-risk information with China, while Nepali missions are assisting citizens and families affected on both sides of the border. The government has asked donors to use only verified links and QR codes for contributions to the Prime Minister Relief Fund, while the ministry’s Emergency Control Room continues supporting families of missing persons.
