Nepal steps up diplomatic push for support after floods

KATHMANDU — The Nepal government is adopting a multi-pronged strategy to engage with the international community following the deadly Bhotekoshi river flooding of August 26.

“From the prime minister to the foreign minister to Nepali missions abroad, we have activated all our political and diplomatic machinery,” Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said on Tuesday. “The prime minister is receiving phone calls from different heads of government, and I am personally receiving calls from my counterparts on a daily basis. We are gathering solidarity and support from the international community.”

On Tuesday, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called Prime Minister Balendra Shah and requested the Nepal government’s ‘fullest cooperation’ in rescuing five Japanese nationals missing after the flood. In response, Shah said that the government was making every possible effort to address the situation, Takaichi wrote on X.

READ: Nepal buries dead as rescuers seek thousands missing after floods

She also conveyed that Japan would provide emergency relief supplies, including tents and blankets, to support those affected by the disaster. She assured further assistance, including support through international organisations and the dispatch of a Japanese disaster relief team.

Foreign Minister Khanal said more countries have given assurances of support.

“Our divisions in the Foreign Ministry are in touch with Kathmandu-based diplomatic and donor communities in coordination with the Finance Ministry,” said Khanal. “We have also activated our embassies and asked them to brief their host governments on the flood aftermath, our requirements and non-food items and technical support we need, like tunnel rescue experts, Bailey bridges, DNA and forensic experts, among other support.”

Besides providing updates and briefings on the situation, Nepali embassies and missions are also engaging with countries to secure funds required for resettlement and reconstruction, said Khanal.

The government has already made an urgent request to the board of the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), a global climate finance mechanism, for financial assistance following the deadly floods. The mechanism was established at COP27 in 2022 and operationalised at COP28.

The letter co-signed by Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Forests and Agriculture Minister Geeta Chaudhary, a copy of which has been seen by the Post, requests an immediate response.

READ: Nepal flood survivors face second crisis as medicines, water run short

“We write to draw your urgent attention to the catastrophic flash flood that struck the

Bhotekosi river basin on August 26, causing widespread loss of life, displacement, destruction of homes and critical infrastructure, and severe disruption to essential services, livelihoods, markets, and connectivity across downstream communities,” reads the letter.

Echoing Nepal’s call, a bloc of 44 countries has expressed solidarity with Nepal and called for stronger adaptation efforts and loss and damage support amid the rising climate crisis. The Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group, in a statement issued on Tuesday, expressed deep condolences and solidarity with Nepal following the devastating floods and landslides.

“We also recognise the courage and dedication of emergency responders, authorities, humanitarian organisations, and community members working tirelessly to save lives and provide relief,” said the letter signed by LDC chair Adão Soares Barbosa.

The LDC Group said the tragedy demonstrates how vulnerable mountain communities and developing countries are increasingly exposed to interconnected environmental and climate risks. It stressed that reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening climate resilience must be treated as an urgent global priority.

Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri said Nepal continues to coordinate closely with our immediate neighbours and the wider international community to identify and mobilise specific expertise, equipment and resources required for the ongoing rescue and relief operations.

“Specialised tunnel rescue teams from India (24 personnel in two teams) and China (9 personnel) are mobilised at the affected hydropower sites. A team from the Republic of Korea is also here,” he said.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government has also received specialised equipment for the management and preservation of mortal remains. A 19-member forensic team from India specialising in DNA analysis has been working with Nepali authorities since August 29. A four-member forensic team is arriving from China on Tuesday evening.

READ: Nepal to preserve DNA before burial of unidentified flood victims

“Coordination is also underway to mobilise a Disaster Victim Identification team from Singapore. We have also requested LiDAR, Bailey bridges, freezers, DNA testing kits, load carriers, body bags, high-capacity drones, and gene sequencers, among other things,” said Chhetri.

Authorities are assessing the damage to homes, roads, bridges, hydropower projects, and other critical infrastructure and A more comprehensive assessment, including through the Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA), will provide a clearer picture of the overall damage, losses and recovery needs, said Chhetri, adding, more information will become available as these assessments progress.

A total of 1,066 people have been confirmed dead and about 4,606 remain missing, according to figures issued by police at 5 pm Tuesday. /dl