RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – As a result of devastating flooding in the region, the UAE Search and Rescue Team is actively conducting field operations in Nepal’s Rasuwa district. Their mission involves assisting Nepali authorities by searching through damaged communities and challenging terrain. The team employs drones, aerial imaging, and three-dimensional mapping techniques to assess the affected zones. These tools provide detailed visuals of areas where floodwaters have compromised roads, buildings, and infrastructure.
Coordination with local officials is ongoing, with UAE personnel guiding teams toward priority search zones across the district. Hamoud Al Afari, director of UAE relief operations, emphasized that the technical equipment is crucial in locating missing individuals. The search efforts combine ground operations with aerial surveys, especially in regions where damaged roads hinder access. The core focus remains on pinpointing impacted sites, charting routes, and aiding rescue teams working within the flood-affected areas.
The UAE’s third relief flight on September 4 brought the search and rescue team to Nepal, carrying 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid to support communities impacted by the floods. This shipment increased the UAE’s total relief aid to 148 tonnes. Alongside the team, Dubai Police personnel arrived with specialized disaster response equipment. The UAE Aid Agency is managing a $10 million relief package that includes food, shelter supplies, generators, and other essential items.
Search activities expand throughout Rasuwa
By the evening of Sept. 6, authorities in Rasuwa reported performing 1,356 rescues. Of these, 1,270 were Nepali citizens, and 86 were foreign nationals. Helicopters transported 1,414 flood-affected individuals and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. Efforts continue as local officials update lists of people still out of contact, including residents, government workers, security personnel, bank employees, and international visitors who were in the region at the time of the floods.
Search operations have also resulted in the recovery of 169 bodies, with six victims identified by Sept. 6. Nepal Police have requested relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to submit DNA profiles for identification. When available, samples from first-degree relatives are preferred. Families outside Nepal can send DNA data electronically for comparison with recovered remains. Authorities are continually updating missing-person and identification records as new information comes in from field teams.
Rescue and relief efforts converge in flood-affected zones
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs reported that the flood from the Bhote Koshi River struck Rasuwa around 8:40 a.m. on Aug. 26. The flooding also caused damages along riverbank areas of Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. In response, the government initiated search, rescue, and emergency relief operations. Damage assessments indicate destruction of roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower facilities. Relief teams are actively distributing supplies while officials evaluate the extent of the damage in affected communities.
The UAE’s ongoing deployment remains dedicated to focusing on search sites, aerial reconnaissance, and detailed mapping to support ground crews. Distributing food parcels and essential items to flood- and landslide-affected communities continues as part of the relief efforts. Meanwhile, Nepali authorities persist with rescue, recovery, and identification initiatives across Rasuwa, maintaining updated records of missing persons. As of Sept. 7, these figures remained subject to revision as field teams continued their search operations and reported new findings.