FM Khanal briefs diplomatic community on Bhotekoshi flood, thanks int’l community for support

Kathmandu / Sept 3: Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal on Thursday briefed Kathmandu’s diplomatic community on the devastating Bhotekoshi flood, highlighting the government’s search and rescue efforts, the safety of foreign nationals, international assistance received by Nepal and the substantial resources expected to be needed for reconstruction.Nepali culture content

Ambassadors, heads and representatives of diplomatic missions, and representatives of international organizations including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and United Nations attended the briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Khanal said the government’s immediate priorities were saving lives, search and rescue, evacuation, relief and ensuring the safety of foreign nationals.

Describing the August 26 disaster as unprecedented, Khanal called the flood a “Himalayan tsunami,” saying a massive surge of water, mud and debris swept downstream from the Bhotekoshi River at Rasuwagadhi within minutes, causing extensive damage.

The flood moved from Rasuwa through the Trishuli River and into the Narayani river system, severely affecting communities and infrastructure in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan. The government is studying the causes and development of the disaster with the support of technical experts, he said.

More than 21,000 security personnel from the Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, along with government agencies, health workers, emergency responders, volunteers and local communities, have been involved in search, rescue and relief operations, according to Khanal.

Foreign nationals’ safety a top priority

Khanal said the safety and welfare of foreign nationals remained a top government priority. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been coordinating with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, Nepal Police, Nepal Tourism Board, Nepali diplomatic missions abroad and families of missing foreign nationals.

An emergency control room at the Foreign Ministry, together with Nepali missions abroad, has been providing verified information to families, supporting identification efforts and facilitating repatriation when necessary.

Khanal thanked diplomatic missions for promptly sharing information about their missing nationals, saying the details were essential for search, verification and identification efforts.

Nepal thanks international community

The foreign minister expressed gratitude to India, China, South Korea, Japan, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Singapore, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Latvia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Norway, Israel, Canada, Sri Lanka, Thailand and New Zealand for their assistance.

He also thanked the European Union, Asian Development Bank, World Bank, United Nations and other international organizations and friendly countries for their support.

International assistance has included rescue expertise, equipment, logistics, medical and forensic support, as well as financial assistance.

“The solidarity and support we have received have come in various forms—rescue expertise, equipment, logistics, health and forensic assistance, and financial support. Each of these contributions is making a difference in the affected areas,” Khanal said.

Major resources needed for reconstruction

The government has begun relocating affected communities, restoring essential services and providing assistance to affected families. Affected local governments have been declared disaster-affected areas for three months.

Khanal said his and Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s visits to affected areas had shown that the situation on the ground was significantly more serious than photographs could convey.

“Based on what I have seen firsthand, the reality on the ground is far more serious than what pictures can show. This is not a normal flood,” he said.

A preliminary assessment of damage to homes, roads, bridges, hydropower projects and other critical infrastructure is underway. A Post-Disaster Needs Assessment will establish the full scale of damage and determine the resources required for rehabilitation and reconstruction.

Khanal said initial assessments indicated that substantial resources would be required to rebuild damaged infrastructure. Once the detailed assessment is completed, the government will formally approach international partners for support for rehabilitation and reconstruction.

He said international assistance would be managed transparently and accountably, with clearly defined areas of use.

Monetary assistance is being mobilized through the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund. Khanal also warned the public to remain alert to fake QR codes, links and bank accounts being used to defraud people in the name of disaster relief.

Flood highlights growing Himalayan climate risks

Khanal said the Bhotekoshi disaster should not be viewed solely as an immediate humanitarian crisis but also as a warning about growing climate risks in the Himalayan region.

The disaster, he said, underscored the vulnerability of mountainous countries and the disproportionate impact of a rapidly warming climate on communities in the Himalaya.

“Although Nepal has made a negligible contribution to global emissions, the Nepali people are bearing a disproportionate and heavy burden of the impacts of a warming Himalaya,” Khanal said.Nepali culture content

He called for climate justice, effective early warning systems, stronger disaster preparedness and disaster-resilient reconstruction to move from commitments on paper to concrete action.

Nepal has also written to the co-chairs of the Loss and Damage Fund Board seeking immediate support, he said.

Nepal remains open to tourists

Despite the severity of the Bhotekoshi disaster, Khanal stressed that its impact remains geographically limited and that the rest of Nepal is safe and fully open.

Airports across the country are operating normally, while major tourist destinations including Kathmandu, Pokhara, Chitwan, Lumbini, Janakpur, the Annapurna region, the Everest region and Bardiya remain open to visitors.

Khanal said tourism was an important lifeline for Nepali people and local communities and urged tourists to continue visiting Nepal during the difficult period.

He also asked diplomatic missions to convey to their citizens and governments that Nepal remains safe. “Nepal is open, and our country is ready to welcome travelers with the same warmth and hospitality for which it is known,” he said.

Concluding the briefing, Khanal thanked Nepal’s neighbors, friendly countries and the international community for their solidarity and support. He said the government would continue mobilizing national resources, working closely with international partners and regularly updating the diplomatic community on the disaster. “We will rise stronger together,” Khanal said.