RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – The UAE Search and Rescue Team is actively engaged in field operations in Nepal’s flood-impacted Rasuwa district. Their deployment is part of ongoing support for Nepalese authorities in the aftermath of the August 26 Bhote Koshi River flood. Teams are performing ground searches and conducting field surveys at locations affected by the disaster. They utilize drones for aerial imaging, surveying, and creating three-dimensional maps. This technology enables crews to pinpoint search locations and access areas where flooding has damaged roads and infrastructure.
The UAE team collaborates directly with local Nepalese officials to coordinate search efforts across Rasuwa. Hamoud Al Afari, the director of UAE relief operations, emphasized that the available technological tools are aiding efforts to locate missing persons. The team’s deployment followed comprehensive assessments of flood- and landslide-affected regions. Many access points have been compromised due to extensive damage to roads and essential infrastructure. To maximize efficiency, crews are combining ground operations with aerial surveys to monitor affected zones and guide their search activities.
Arriving in Nepal on the third UAE relief flight on September 4, the search unit brought with it 20 tonnes of aid. Officials confirmed that this flight increased the total relief shipments from the UAE to Nepal to 148 tonnes. The specialized search team includes personnel from Dubai Police and is equipped with technical tools for disaster response. The UAE Aid Agency is managing a $10 million aid package directed at communities impacted by the floods and landslides. Previous flights delivered food, shelter supplies, generators, and other critical resources.
Search Operations Extend Across Flood-Impacted Rasuwa
According to Nepal’s District Administration Office in Rasuwa, a total of 1,356 rescues had been carried out by the evening of September 6. These included 1,270 Nepali citizens and 86 foreign nationals. The authorities also reported that helicopters had evacuated 1,414 flood-affected individuals and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. The district continues to update records of people reported missing after the disaster. These records include local residents, security personnel, government workers, bank employees, and foreign tourists.
The same district update also recorded 169 bodies recovered from affected areas. Authorities have identified six victims so far and continue efforts to identify the remaining bodies. Nepal Police has urged relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to submit DNA profiles for comparison with recovered remains. They prioritize samples from first-degree relatives when available. Families abroad can submit DNA profiles electronically. Authorities are maintaining ongoing records of missing and out-of-contact individuals.
Relief efforts proceed alongside ongoing search and rescue activities
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs reported that the Bhote Koshi flood struck Rasuwa at approximately 8:40 a.m. on Aug. 26. The floodwaters also caused damage to riverbank areas in Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. Following the disaster, the government launched search, rescue, and emergency relief operations. Local officials documented extensive damage to roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower facilities. Relief supplies are being distributed at multiple sites while assessments of human and physical losses continue.
The work conducted by the UAE team in Rasuwa forms part of the larger search and relief efforts led by Nepalese authorities. Their current focus includes conducting searches at specific sites, aerial surveys, and detailed mapping to assist ground crews. UAE relief personnel are also distributing food parcels, essential items, and other supplies throughout the affected areas. The teams remain active in damaged locations while local authorities update records related to rescue, recovery, and missing persons. As of September 7, these records were still being actively revised and updated.