RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – UAE Search and Rescue teams are actively engaged in field operations within Nepal’s Rasuwa district following severe flooding that impacted the region. Their efforts include supporting Nepali authorities in searching through devastated communities and challenging terrain. The teams utilize drones, aerial imaging, and three-dimensional mapping technologies to assess the areas affected. This equipment allows rescue teams to obtain precise visuals of locations where floodwaters have damaged roads, buildings, and infrastructure components.
Coordination with local officials is underway as UAE personnel guide teams to priority search zones across the district. Hamoud Al Afari, head of UAE relief operations, emphasized that the technical tools are crucial in locating missing individuals. The operation combines ground search efforts with aerial surveys, especially in zones where damaged roads hinder access. Its core objectives include identifying affected sites, charting routes, and aiding rescue teams operating in the flood-affected zones.
The UAE’s search and rescue team arrived in Nepal aboard their third relief flight on Sept. 4, carrying 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid intended for communities impacted by the floods. This shipment brings the UAE’s total relief aid to 148 tonnes. Dubai Police personnel, equipped for disaster response, joined the specialized deployment. The UAE Aid Agency manages a $10 million aid package comprising food, shelter materials, generators, and other vital supplies.
Rescue operations expand across Rasuwa district
By the evening of Sept. 6, authorities in Rasuwa reported a total of 1,356 rescues. This figure includes 1,270 Nepali citizens and 86 foreign nationals. Helicopters transported 1,414 flood-affected individuals and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. Officials are continuously updating lists of those still unaccounted for, which include residents, government workers, security personnel, bank employees, and foreign visitors present in the affected zones during the flooding.
Search operations have also resulted in the recovery of 169 bodies, with six victims identified by Sept. 6. Nepal Police have requested relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to submit DNA samples to facilitate identification. When available, samples from immediate family members are preferred. Families residing outside Nepal can submit DNA data electronically for comparison. As new findings emerge, officials are revising missing-person records and identification data based on updates from field teams.
Flood response efforts integrate rescue missions with relief distribution
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that the flood from the Bhote Koshi River struck Rasuwa at approximately 8:40 a.m. on Aug. 26. Additional damage was reported in riverbank regions of Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. Following the disaster, the government initiated search, rescue, and emergency relief operations. Damage assessments indicate destruction of roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower infrastructure. Relief teams have been actively distributing supplies while officials evaluate the extent of damage across the affected communities.
The UAE’s deployment primarily continues to focus on identifying search locations, conducting aerial surveys, and creating detailed maps to aid ground operations. Relief teams are also providing food parcels and essential items to communities impacted by floods and landslides. Meanwhile, Nepali authorities persist with rescue, recovery, and identification activities across Rasuwa, maintaining updated records of missing persons. As of Sept. 7, these figures remain subject to revision as field teams report new findings from ongoing search efforts.