Kathmandu: Nearly three days after the devastating flash flood caused mayhem in several of its districts, Nepal has finally relented and agreed to accept foreign assistance for relief and rescue operations.
India, China, Australia and South Korea have been allowed to send experts and technical teams, following an assessment by Nepal’s National Disaster Management Centre. The teams will help rescue people trapped inside tunnels, identify bodies through DNA testing, and assist with forensic investigations.
Nepal foreign minister Shisir Khanal told Reuters that the country needs foreign assistance in specialised and technical areas. The foreign teams are needed for tasks such as rescuing people from tunnels, transporting and identifying bodies, and other areas where Nepal lacks expertise.
Nepal, however, does not require help with general search and rescue, Khanal added.
India has National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) units on standby for deployment in Nepal. Relief material from India has already reached Nepal.
Meanwhile, China has issued a fresh warning that a newly formed lake near it’s border with Nepal could burst at any time, raising fears of another surge in water levels in flood-hit areas.
Chinese authorities told Nepal that the colour of the lake has been getting darker, which could be a sign that it is becoming unstable. Warning residents living downstream, China said the lake could breach its banks at any time.
However, China has added that even if the lake bursts, the maximum flow into the river is expected to be around 500 cubic metres per second. The warning was shared with Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
A similar lake had formed after a landslide or glacial collapse blocked part of the river system earlier this week. China’s ministry of water resources had earlier informed that the water level in the lake was rising.
Nearly 2.5 million cubic metres of water had been collected in the lake by Friday, and the rescue operations in flood-affected areas were briefly paused after reports of overflowing.
