RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – The UAE Search and Rescue Team is actively engaged in field operations within Nepal’s Rasuwa district following devastating flooding that impacted the area. The teams are providing vital support to Nepali authorities as they conduct searches in severely damaged communities and across challenging terrain, employing drones, aerial imaging, and three-dimensional mapping technologies to examine the affected zones. These tools allow rescue crews to gain comprehensive views of locations where floodwaters have compromised roads, buildings, and infrastructure, facilitating more effective rescue efforts.
Coordination efforts between UAE personnel and local officials are ongoing to prioritize search zones across Rasuwa. Hamoud Al Afari, who oversees UAE relief operations, emphasized that the advanced technical equipment is crucial in locating missing persons, especially in areas where damaged roads restrict access, combining ground searches with aerial surveys. The operation’s main focus remains on pinpointing affected areas, charting accessible routes, and supporting rescue teams operating throughout the flood-affected zones.
The UAE’s third relief flight carrying personnel and aid departed for Nepal on Sept. 4, bringing with it 20 tonnes of humanitarian supplies meant for flood-affected communities. According to officials, this shipment brings the UAE’s total relief deliveries to 148 tonnes. Additionally, personnel from Dubai Police have joined the disaster response efforts equipped with specialized gear for emergency situations. The UAE Aid Agency is managing a relief package valued at $10 million, which includes essential items such as food, shelter materials, generators, and other necessary supplies.
Rescue operations expand across Rasuwa as teams intensify efforts
As of the evening of Sept. 6, authorities in Rasuwa have reported a total of 1,356 rescues, comprising 1,270 Nepali citizens and 86 foreigners. Helicopters have also transported 1,414 flood-affected individuals and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. Officials are continuously updating lists of individuals still unaccounted for, including residents, government personnel, security forces, bank employees, and foreign visitors present in the area when the floods occurred.
Furthermore, district officials have recovered 169 bodies as search operations are ongoing. By Sept. 6, six of these recovered victims had been identified, with Nepal Police requesting relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to submit DNA profiles for identification purposes. While local families are encouraged to send samples electronically, authorities prefer to receive DNA samples from immediate family members when possible. As new findings emerge from field teams, authorities are continuously updating missing-person lists and identification records.
Flood relief efforts involve both rescue and humanitarian aid activities
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs stated that the flood caused by the Bhote Koshi River occurred around 8:40 a.m. on Aug. 26, impacting Rasuwa, with additional damage along riverbanks in Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. In response, the government initiated comprehensive search, rescue, and emergency relief operations, documenting destruction to roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower infrastructure. Relief teams are actively distributing supplies while officials continue assessing the extent of the damage across affected communities.
The UAE deployment remains concentrated on identifying search locations, conducting aerial surveys, and creating detailed maps to assist ground crews. Relief workers are also distributing food parcels and other essential supplies to communities impacted by flooding and landslides. Meanwhile, Nepali authorities continue rescue, recovery, and victim identification activities throughout Rasuwa, maintaining updated records of missing individuals. These figures are still subject to change as field teams report new developments on Sept. 7, with ongoing search operations providing fresh data for review.