RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – In Nepal’s flood-affected Rasuwa district, the UAE Search and Rescue Team is actively engaged in field missions. Their efforts are in support of Nepalese authorities as they search for survivors and assess damage caused by the floods on August 26 along the Bhote Koshi River. The team is conducting on-the-ground search operations and field surveys at locations impacted by the disaster. They are utilizing drones for aerial imaging, conducting surveys, and generating three-dimensional maps to pinpoint search areas and access routes that flooding has compromised.
Collaborating closely with local Nepalese officials, the UAE team directs search activities across Rasuwa. Hamoud Al Afari, the director of UAE relief operations, emphasized that current technology significantly aids in locating missing persons. This deployment followed thorough assessments of flood- and landslide-affected zones. Many locations pose access challenges due to extensive damage to roads and infrastructure, but crews are combining ground search efforts with aerial reconnaissance to better understand the scope of the disaster and coordinate rescue efforts.
The UAE rescue team arrived in Nepal aboard the third relief flight on September 4, bringing with them 20 tonnes of aid. Officials confirmed that this flight increased total UAE relief supplies to Nepal to 148 tonnes. The specialized team, which includes personnel from Dubai Police, is equipped with advanced technical tools tailored for disaster response. The UAE Aid Agency has allocated a $10 million aid package targeting communities impacted by the floods and landslides. Earlier flights delivered essential supplies such as food, shelter materials, generators, and other critical items.
Rescue operations expand across flood-affected Rasuwa
As of the evening of September 6, Nepal’s District Administration Office in Rasuwa reported a total of 1,356 rescues, including 1,270 Nepali citizens and 86 foreign nationals. Helicopter evacuations also transported 1,414 flood-affected individuals and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. Authorities continue to update records of those reported missing following the disaster, encompassing local residents, security personnel, government staff, bank employees, and tourists from abroad.
The district’s latest figures also indicate that 169 bodies have been recovered from affected zones. Six of these victims have been identified, while efforts are ongoing to identify the remaining recovered remains. Nepal Police have requested relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to submit DNA profiles for comparison with recovered bodies, prioritizing samples from first-degree relatives when possible. Families abroad can electronically send DNA profiles for matching. Authorities are actively maintaining updated lists of missing and unreachable individuals.
Ongoing relief efforts complement search activities
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs reported that the Bhote Koshi flood struck Rasuwa around 8:40 a.m. on August 26. Floodwaters also affected riverbank regions in Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. Following the disaster, the government launched search, rescue, and emergency relief operations. Damage assessments documented destruction to roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower facilities. Relief supplies have been distributed at several sites, while authorities continue to evaluate the scale of human and material losses.
The UAE team’s presence in Rasuwa is part of a larger coordinated effort led by Nepalese authorities for search and relief activities. Their current focus includes identifying specific search sites, conducting aerial surveys, and creating detailed maps to aid ground teams. Relief workers from the UAE are also delivering food parcels, essential items, and other supplies within the affected areas. Search teams persist in operations amid damaged environments, while local officials update records on rescue, recovery, and missing persons. As of September 7, the latest district reports remained under active revision.