Nepal Allows Foreign Rescue Teams After Pressure

Nepal has allowed foreign rescue teams and specialists to assist in limited operations following devastating floods and landslides across the country. The decision came after intense diplomatic pressure from countries whose citizens remain missing in the disaster, according to The Kathmandu Post.

On Wednesday (August 26), the Nepalese government had said its own security forces were fully capable of handling rescue operations and that foreign teams would not be allowed to enter. However, the decision was reversed within a day.

Nepal will now allow limited assistance from foreign experts for rescue operations in difficult tunnels, DNA testing and forensic examinations. A senior government official said there had been significant international pressure to allow at least rescue teams and specialists to help locate missing foreign nationals.

As of Saturday (August 29), authorities had recovered 626 bodies. A total of 977 people, including 517 foreign nationals from 31 countries, were still missing.

Among the missing foreign nationals, 178 are Indian citizens, followed by 65 Americans, 53 Ukrainians, 35 Australians and 33 British citizens.

Based on an assessment by the National Disaster Management Centre, Nepal has given the green light to India, China, Australia and South Korea to provide limited specialist assistance. Several other countries have also offered to send experts, but their requests were not accepted.