Nepal seeks foreign expertise as flood reconstruction bill could reach $5bn

Nepal has sought specialised foreign expertise and technical assistance to respond to the devastation caused by a massive flood, as authorities warned that rebuilding damaged infrastructure could cost between $4 billion and $5 billion.

Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said Nepal did not currently need outside help for routine search-and-rescue operations but lacked specialised expertise and technology for several critical tasks.

These include restoring destroyed bridges and transport links, rescuing people trapped in tunnels, identifying victims and missing people, conducting DNA tests and preserving bodies for extended periods, he said. Nepal has therefore requested specialised services and technical support from several countries.

Search-and-rescue operations were temporarily suspended in parts of the disaster zone on Saturday because of rain and poor visibility.

Authorities are closely monitoring two lakes upstream of the affected areas after a newly formed lake near the Nepal-China border overflowed on Friday, sending water into the Lende Khola and Trishuli River. Officials warned that the flood risk would remain until water levels in the lakes recede.

China’s state-run Xinhua reported that the water level in one lake was falling, although a Chinese geologist warned that it could remain unstable. More than 100 other glacial lakes in the region could also pose additional risks.

India has already sent nearly 60 tonnes of relief supplies to Nepal on three aircraft, including blankets, medicines, food and water-purification tablets. It is also preparing to send a specialised team to rescue people trapped in tunnels and a medical team, while offering disaster-response personnel, temporary bridges and technical support to restore communications.

China has also called for emergency assistance and international cooperation in rescue operations, although details of its proposed aid have not been disclosed.

Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle told Reuters that the preliminary estimate for rebuilding after the disaster stood at $4 billion-$5 billion, although a comprehensive assessment of the damage is still under way.

The disaster has also devastated neighbouring Tibet, where rescue teams are searching for hundreds of missing people. On Friday, rescuers reached Gyirong, one of the worst-hit border areas, after navigating difficult mountain trails, valleys, forests and steep terrain using ropes.

Border surveillance footage showed powerful torrents of water and debris sweeping through buildings as people fled to safety.

The disaster struck on Wednesday, August 26, after a glacier collapse triggered a massive flood wave along the Nepal-China border. Huge torrents carrying rocks, ice, mud and debris swept down mountain waterways, killing at least 626 people in Nepal and seven in Tibet, according to Reuters.

Nearly 3,000 people remain missing, including around 2,426 in Nepal and at least 558 in Gyirong County in Tibet. At least 540 of those missing are foreign nationals, many of them Indian Hindu pilgrims.