Kathmandu, Aug 29:
Nepal has reversed its earlier decision to keep foreign search-and-rescue teams away from areas devastated by the Bhotekoshi flash floods, allowing limited international assistance after countries pressed Kathmandu to help locate their missing nationals.
The Nepal government had initially said that its own rescue agencies were capable of handling search operations and that foreign teams would not be permitted to enter the affected areas.
The position changed within a day as pressure mounted from countries whose citizens remained missing following the disaster.
A senior Nepal government official told The Kathmandu Post that international pressure had prompted authorities to permit a limited number of foreign experts.
The assistance will focus on specialised operations, including tunnel rescues, DNA testing and forensic examinations.
Teams and experts from India and China are among those expected to assist in the rescue and identification operations.
The decision comes as the scale of the disaster becomes clearer.
Flash floods devastated settlements along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers, killing more than 550 people as of Friday, according to the report.
Another 977 people, including 517 foreigners from 31 countries, were reported missing.
The large number of missing foreign nationals has increased diplomatic pressure on the Nepal government to expand the search effort and make use of specialised international expertise.
India has been particularly concerned about its nationals who were in Nepal for pilgrimage and tourism when the floods struck.
Indian authorities have been coordinating with Nepalese agencies to locate missing citizens and bring rescued Indians home.
The involvement of foreign specialists is expected to strengthen operations in areas where conventional rescue methods may not be sufficient.
Tunnel rescue specialists could be particularly important in locations where people may be trapped beneath debris or inside damaged structures.
DNA and forensic experts will also play a crucial role in identifying bodies when visual identification is impossible.
The government’s reversal reflects the growing international dimension of the disaster, with nationals from dozens of countries among those missing.
Rescue agencies are now facing the difficult task of searching large areas affected by floods, landslides and infrastructure damage.
The priority remains to locate survivors and missing persons while identifying victims and helping families establish the whereabouts of relatives.
The latest decision is expected to improve coordination between Nepal’s rescue agencies and international teams as the search operation enters a critical phase.