The meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has instructed the relevant agencies to make search and rescue operations effective for those who disappeared in Rasuwagadhi flood, Gosaikunda Rural Municipality-2, Rasuwa.
The meeting held in Baluwatar on Tuesday under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister and Council Chairman KP Sharma Oli took information about the possible cause of the flood and the details of the damage received so far, and expressed condolences to the deceased and the family members of the accident.
The meeting has decided to coordinate with the friendly nation China through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to rebuild the bridge and the road to China and start the Kerung crossing as the Bhotekoshi River Miteri Bridge at Rasuwagadhi, the border crossing between Nepal and China, is closed to traffic. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has been instructed to arrange the road infrastructure operation, while it has been decided to make necessary preparations for the smooth operation of the alternative border crossings with China.
Similarly, the relevant ministries have been instructed to quickly repair and operate the infrastructure of the damaged customs, immigration, and hydropower projects, while the Ministry of Finance has been instructed to facilitate the arrangements for the insurance of damage to containers, vehicles and other materials of businessmen.
The meeting of the council has decided that the Ministry of Home Affairs will provide immediate relief to the families of the dead and missing in the incident and that the Ministry of Health and Population will arrange free treatment for the injured. The Council has decided to give instructions to all the concerned agencies to arrange the necessary study, preparation and coordination arrangements with the concerned agencies of the friendly nation China to identify the cause of the incident.
Likewise, the meeting has instructed the relevant agencies to be alert and ready for pre-preparation and countermeasures as there is a forecast of more than Sardar rainfall this year.
Prime Minister Oli said in the council meeting held after returning from the on-site inspection of the damaged area that an unexpected disaster beyond the forecast and imagination has occurred and the damage has been seen. Expressing grief over the human loss, he urged the security agencies to continue the work being done in the immediate rescue of the missing persons. He informed that he has requested the Chinese ambassador to Nepal to start the crossing route even if the belay bridge is built immediately at Miteri bridge, and he emphasized that the alternative routes including the Korla crossing of Mustang should be prepared for systematic operation.
