RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – The UAE Search and Rescue Team is actively engaged in field operations within Nepal’s flood-affected Rasuwa district. Their deployment aims to support Nepalese authorities in searching areas impacted by the flood that occurred on August 26 along the Bhote Koshi River. Teams are conducting ground searches and on-site surveys at locations affected by the disaster, utilizing drones for aerial imaging, surveying, and creating three-dimensional maps. This technological support enables crews to pinpoint search zones and access regions where flooding has compromised roads and infrastructure.
Collaborating directly with Nepalese authorities, the UAE team coordinates search efforts across Rasuwa. Hamoud Al Afari, director of UAE relief operations, noted that available technological tools are aiding in the search for missing persons. The deployment followed comprehensive assessments of flood and landslide-damaged areas. Many search teams have encountered difficulties accessing certain locations due to extensive damage to roads and basic infrastructure. Despite these challenges, crews continue to combine ground operations with aerial surveys to examine affected zones and guide rescue activities.
The UAE’s rescue unit arrived in Nepal on the third relief flight on September 4, carrying 20 tonnes of aid alongside their personnel. This flight increased the total UAE relief aid sent to Nepal to 148 tonnes. The specialized team comprises personnel from Dubai Police and is equipped with technical disaster response tools. The UAE Aid Agency is managing a $10 million aid package to assist communities affected by floods and landslides. Earlier flights delivered essentials such as food, shelter materials, generators, and other critical supplies.
Search efforts expand across flood-affected Rasuwa
Nepal’s District Administration Office in Rasuwa reported that 1,356 rescues had been conducted by the evening of September 6, including 1,270 Nepali citizens and 86 foreign nationals. Authorities also confirmed that helicopters transported 1,414 flood-affected individuals and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. The district continues to update records of those reported out of contact since the disaster, including local residents, security personnel, government workers, bank employees, and tourists.
As of the latest update, authorities recovered 169 bodies from the affected areas, with six identified so far, while ongoing efforts focus on identifying the remaining recovered remains. Nepal Police has requested relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to submit DNA profiles for comparison with recovered bodies, prioritizing samples from first-degree relatives where possible. Families abroad can electronically submit DNA data for matching, and authorities are maintaining updated lists of missing and out-of-contact individuals.
Relief efforts continue alongside ongoing search activities
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs reported that the Bhote Koshi flood impacted Rasuwa around 8:40 a.m. on August 26. Floodwaters also caused damage to riverbank areas in Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. In response, the government initiated search, rescue, and emergency relief operations immediately after the disaster. Local authorities documented extensive damage to roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower facilities, and have been distributing relief supplies while continuing assessments of physical and human losses.
The efforts of the UAE team in Rasuwa are part of the larger search and relief campaign led by Nepalese authorities. Current activities include managing search sites, conducting aerial surveys, and creating detailed maps to assist ground teams. Relief personnel are also distributing food parcels, essential items, and supplies across affected areas. Teams keep working in damaged locations while local officials update records related to rescue, recovery, and missing persons, which remained under active revision as of September 7.