RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – The UAE Search and Rescue Team is actively working in Nepal’s flood-affected Rasuwa district. Their deployment is aimed at supporting Nepalese authorities in searching areas damaged by the flood caused by the Bhote Koshi River on August 26. Teams are conducting ground searches and field assessments in the impacted zones. They employ drones for aerial imaging, surveying, and creating three-dimensional maps. This technology enables crews to locate search areas and access locations where floods have destroyed roads and infrastructure.
The UAE team is working closely with local authorities to coordinate search efforts across Rasuwa. Hamoud Al Afari, who leads UAE relief operations, mentioned that advanced technology is aiding the search for missing persons. The deployment followed evaluations of flood and landslide-damaged regions. Many areas remain difficult to access because of destroyed roads and infrastructure. Search teams are combining ground operations with aerial reconnaissance to cover the affected areas and guide their efforts.
The relief team arrived in Nepal on the third UAE relief flight on Sept. 4, bringing 20 tonnes of aid. This flight increased UAE’s total relief deliveries to Nepal to 148 tonnes. The specialized search unit includes personnel from Dubai Police, equipped with technical tools for disaster response. The UAE Aid Agency has allocated a $10 million aid package for communities impacted by the floods and landslides. Earlier flights delivered food, shelter supplies, generators, and other vital materials.
Expansion of search efforts across flood-affected Rasuwa
Nepal’s District Administration Office in Rasuwa reported 1,356 rescues through the evening of Sept. 6. The figure includes 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 record those reported missing after the disaster. These records include local residents, security personnel, government employees, bank staff, and international tourists.
As of the same update, authorities recovered 169 bodies from the affected areas. Six of these victims have been identified, with ongoing efforts to identify the rest. Nepal Police has urged relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to provide DNA profiles for comparison with recovered remains. Priority is given to samples from first-degree relatives when possible. Families abroad can submit DNA data electronically. Authorities are also maintaining updated records of missing and unreachable individuals.
Relief efforts persist alongside ongoing search operations
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs reported that the Bhote Koshi flood hit Rasuwa around 8:40 a.m. on August 26. Floodwaters also caused damage to riverbanks in Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. The government launched search, rescue, and emergency relief actions immediately after the disaster. Local authorities documented extensive damage to roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydroelectric facilities. Relief supplies have been distributed at multiple sites, while assessments of damage and human loss continue.
The UAE team’s work in Rasuwa is part of a broader rescue and relief operation led by Nepalese officials. Their current focus includes searching sites, conducting aerial surveys, and producing detailed maps for on-ground teams. UAE relief personnel are also handing out food parcels, essential items, and other supplies. Search teams continue working in damaged locations, while local authorities update records of rescue, recovery, and missing persons. As of Sept. 7, the district’s records were still being actively revised.