North India Statesman
Nepalese authorities have officially concluded active search and rescue operations 40 days after catastrophic flash floods and landslides battered the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors. The decision was finalized during a high-level meeting of Nepal’s National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management following ground assessments from district disaster teams. With over 1,455 confirmed fatalities and 13,795 individuals successfully rescued during early operations, the disaster management apparatus has transitioned its primary focus from active field search to large-scale infrastructure reconstruction and family rehabilitation.
Over 5,200 Still Unaccounted for Across Affected River Basins
Despite 40 days of continuous rescue mobilization by disaster personnel, military units, and emergency teams, an alarming 5,285 people remain officially missing. The missing roster includes 606 foreign nationals from 36 countries who were traveling along pilgrimage circuits toward Kailash Mansarovar and Gosaikunda during the Janai Purnima festive period. In addition to foreign travelers, at least 188 domestic Nepali tourists and thousands of local villagers residing along vulnerable riverbanks remain untraced after entire settlements, highway stretches, and bridges were swept away.
189 Indian Nationals Form Largest Group of Missing Foreigners
Citizens from India represent the single largest bloc of missing foreign travelers, with 189 Indian nationals unaccounted for according to data compiled by Nepal’s Department of Tourism. State-wise casualty coordination records reveal the widespread geographical footprint of the affected pilgrims:
-
Tamil Nadu: 85 missing
-
West Bengal: 37 missing
-
Gujarat: 30 missing
-
Telangana: 25 missing
-
Uttar Pradesh: 22 missing
-
Karnataka & Andhra Pradesh: 13 each
-
Bihar: 12 missing
-
Maharashtra: 10 missing
-
Odisha: 4 missing
Other foreign casualties and missing tourists include 65 Americans, 55 Malaysians, 54 Ukrainians, 37 Chinese citizens, 33 Australians, and 32 British nationals.
Rebuilding Blueprint and Legal Next Steps for Families
While routine large-scale combing has ceased, authorities confirmed that emergency rescue teams will remain on standby to recover any human remains or personal belongings uncovered during rebuilding operations. Due to the prolonged passage of time, the Nepalese government has initiated statutory and administrative procedures to legally declare untraceable individuals as deceased, enabling grieving families in India and overseas to process official documentation, insurance claims, and compensation relief. Meanwhile, Nepal’s disaster management council has proposed allocating 559 billion Nepali rupees (approximately ₹35,000 crore) across 504 reconstruction projects to rebuild destroyed hydropower plants, highway networks, and rural infrastructure.
