Over 17,000 disaster victims rescued

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 4: A total of 17,120 people affected by floods, landslides, and inundation across the country have been safely rescued. 

According to Rishiram Tiwari, Spokesperson and Joint Secretary for the Ministry of Home Affairs, the rescue was carried out by the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, and volunteers, until Thursday morning.

He said that the search for 22 missing individuals in the disaster is ongoing and free treatment has been arranged for 169 injured individuals in various hospitals. 

"Many of the injured have already recovered and returned home," said Spokesperson Tiwari. "In the severely affected areas, security personnel also set up medical camps and distributed immediate relief at the disaster sites."

According to the Ministry, so far, 2,158 people have been rescued from the Kathmandu Valley, 90 from Koshi Province, 35 from Madhes Province, and the highest number—13,640—have been rescued from Bagmati Province.

"During this period, patients, the injured, children, and the elderly were given priority for evacuation, which was also carried out by Nepali Army helicopters," Tiwari added. "The search and rescue operations are in their final stages, with the search for the missing continuing intensively."

Additionally, Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak has been coordinating with concerned bodies and ministries for search, rescue, and relief distribution, as well as for reopening blocked highways. 

Home Minister Lekhak has directed chief district officers in the affected districts to pay special attention to rescue operations, relief distribution, and the medical treatment of the injured. 

Minister Lekhak has also held discussions with transport operators regarding the smooth functioning of highways and the safe travel of passengers. Similarly, financial assistance as relief amount has been provided to the families of those who died in the disaster in districts like Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Dhading, and Sindhuli. Relief funds have also been distributed to families whose houses were destroyed. 

Various donor organisations and individuals have been providing relief materials to the District Disaster Management Committee in the affected districts. Efforts are underway to reopen blocked roads, and security measures have been strengthened on highways at risk of landslides, said Minister Lekhak. 

A task force led by the Joint Secretary has been deployed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to coordinate and assist in the relief efforts in the eight most affected districts. 

The task force has been instructed to coordinate immediate rescue and relief efforts, compile a brief report on the human and material losses, and provide recommendations for necessary actions.