RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – The UAE Search and Rescue Team is actively engaged in field activities within Nepal’s flood-affected Rasuwa district. This deployment aims to assist Nepalese authorities in their efforts to locate and aid victims following the August 26 Bhote Koshi River flooding. The team is performing ground searches and conducting field surveys at sites impacted by the disaster, utilizing drones for aerial imaging, mapping, and three-dimensional surveys. This advanced technology enables teams to pinpoint search areas and access locations where flooding has severely disrupted infrastructure and access routes.
Collaborating directly with local authorities, the UAE team directs search operations across Rasuwa. Hamoud Al Afari, head of UAE relief efforts, emphasized that the technology at their disposal significantly aids the ongoing search for missing individuals. The deployment was initiated after assessments identified flood and landslide-damaged zones. Search crews have encountered difficulties reaching certain sites due to extensive destruction of roads and basic infrastructure. To optimize their efforts, teams continue to combine on-the-ground searches with aerial reconnaissance, helping to steer rescue activities effectively.
The UAE rescue unit arrived in Nepal aboard the third relief flight from the UAE on September 4, bringing with it 20 tonnes of aid supplies. According to officials, this flight increased the total relief aid delivered by the UAE to Nepal to 148 tonnes. The specialized team includes personnel from Dubai Police, equipped with technical gear for disaster response. The UAE Aid Agency is overseeing a $10 million aid package targeted at communities affected by the floods and landslides. Previous flights delivered essential items such as food, shelter materials, generators, and other vital supplies.
Search efforts expand across flood-affected Rasuwa
By the evening of September 6, Nepal’s District Administration Office in Rasuwa reported a total of 1,356 rescues. This figure includes 1,270 Nepali citizens and 86 foreign nationals. Authorities also confirmed that helicopters had transported 1,414 flood-affected individuals and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. The district continues to update records of those unaccounted for following the disaster, including residents, security personnel, government workers, bank employees, and international tourists.
Additionally, the district reported the recovery of 169 bodies from affected zones. Six of these victims have been identified, with ongoing efforts to identify the remaining recovered bodies. Nepal Police has requested relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to submit DNA samples for comparison with recovered remains, prioritizing first-degree relatives when possible. Families abroad can send DNA profiles electronically. Authorities are also maintaining updated lists of missing and missing-contact individuals.
Relief and rescue activities proceed concurrently
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs reported that the Bhote Koshi flood impacted Rasuwa around 8:40 a.m. on Aug. 26. Floodwaters also caused damage to riverbank zones in Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. The government promptly launched search, rescue, and emergency relief operations in response. Local authorities have documented extensive damage to roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower facilities. Relief supplies are being distributed across multiple locations as assessments of the physical and human toll continue.
The UAE team’s presence in Rasuwa forms part of the larger rescue and relief effort led by Nepalese authorities. Their current tasks focus on search and rescue sites, aerial surveys, and detailed mapping to support ground crews. UAE relief personnel are also distributing food parcels, essential items, and other supplies to affected communities. While continuing to work in damaged areas, local officials are updating records related to rescue, recovery, and missing persons. As of September 7, the latest district records remained under active revision.