Nepal’s Foreign Minister says the country can manage general rescue operations after devastating floods killing 600 but needs foreign technical expertise for tunnel rescues, DNA testing and infrastructure restoration.
By Imran Malik | World Affairs Desk | MediaBites.com.pk
Nepal has drawn a clear line between what it needs from the international community and what it can manage on its own, following the deadliest natural disaster to strike the Himalayan nation in recent memory.
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told Reuters that Nepal does not require additional international search and rescue teams but has made specific requests for specialised technical assistance in areas where local expertise and equipment are insufficient.
The disaster, triggered by a glacier collapse on Wednesday, unleashed a torrent of rock, ice, mud and debris through Himalayan river systems, killing more than 600 people across Nepal and China’s Tibet region. More than 2,000 people remain unaccounted for. Entire towns near the Chinese border were levelled and widespread damage was inflicted on hydropower plants, roads, bridges, schools and hospitals.
Nepal’s specific technical needs include specialised equipment and expertise for rescuing people trapped inside tunnels, restoring transport and communications infrastructure where bridges have been destroyed, identifying victims, conducting DNA tests, and storing bodies for longer periods.
“We have already made requests for such specialised services and technical assistance in areas where we don’t have enough expertise and technical knowhow,” Khanal said.
Several countries including India, China, the United States, Britain, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have offered search and rescue assistance. Nepal’s Foreign Ministry confirmed Friday that it could manage general rescue operations without those foreign teams for the immediate period.
The distinction Nepal is drawing reflects a mature and organised disaster response posture, accepting targeted international expertise while maintaining operational control of its own rescue mission in some of the world’s most challenging terrain.
