Nepal flash flood rescue hit by equipment shortage as toll crosses 900

Nepal's rescue forces are struggling to reach flood victims because critical equipment is in short supply. The shortages have exposed deep gaps in disaster preparedness as the death toll and missing count keep rising.Image used for representational purposes onlySecurity personnel carrying out rescue and recovery work after Nepal's devastating flash floods are facing major difficulties because of shortages of specialised equipment, body bags, ropes and helicopters, officials said. The floods, believed to have been triggered by a collapse or avalanche of ice and rock near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, tore through the Bhotekoshi river corridor, destroying homes, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects.The death toll crossed 900 on Monday, while more than 4,000 people remained missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). Large numbers of personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been deployed, but officials said the lack of modern rescue tools was making operations in dangerous terrain much harder.Among the items in short supply are thermal cameras, devices that can detect signs of life through sound, specialised tools to cut through obstacles, body bags, ropes and advanced helicopters, officials were quoted as saying by news portal ekantipur.com. Security personnel have also repeatedly sought helicopters to reach people trapped or stranded in areas that are difficult to access.A police inspector said several people had contacted Police Control 100 for help, but personnel were at times unable to reach them because of operational difficulties. The Nepal Police, seen as the frontline agency in emergencies, has repeatedly sought the purchase of helicopters, officials said. Police personnel deployed in Bidur also reported shortages of equipment used to cut trees and other objects during rescue operations. "There is also a shortage of bags to store the bodies," a police officer said, adding, "Even ropes are not enough."Anil Pokharel, former chief executive officer of the NDRRMA, said the shortage of specialised equipment was a longstanding problem. "It would be easier if there were equipment, but even when I was at the authority, there was a shortage in the international market when I tried to purchase those equipment," he said. "However, if the goods can be brought even at such a time, it will be easier for tomorrow," Pokharel said, while praising the efforts of security personnel involved in the ongoing operations. "Security personnel have been mobilised now, just like during the earthquake," he said.According to the NDRRMA, 19,895 security personnel have been mobilised for rescue operations, including 7,293 from the Nepal Police, 8,399 from the Nepal Army and 4,203 from the Armed Police Force. The Armed Police Force has also deployed trained sniffer dogs to help search for victims."Based on the dog's signals, 5-7 bodies are being found daily," an Armed Police Force officer said. The officer said separate teams had been mobilised for mass rescue, medical assistance, management of affected people at holding centres, rope rescue, water rescue, diving, canine searches, drone operations and search and rescue at collapsed structures.A joint search operation by the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police is continuing in the affected area. Officials said an 84-member team, made up of 62 Army personnel and 22 personnel from the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, has been deployed for rescue operations. A total of 4,811 Nepal Police personnel have also been mobilised for rescue and the search for bodies, officials said.The Nepal government has sought specialised personnel and equipment from India and China to strengthen search and rescue operations after the floods, The Himalayan Times reported. India has deployed specialised teams to assist Nepal in rescue work and in identifying victims.A 19-member Indian forensics team began functioning in Kathmandu on Sunday to support the analysis of DNA samples for identifying mortal remains, while an Indian tunnel rescue team continued operations at hydropower sites in Chilime and Langtang, the report said. The NDRRMA said expert teams from India and China are helping Nepal's rescue teams trace more than 930 workers and employees at various hydropower project sites who have been out of contact since August 26, with many believed to be trapped in tunnels.The shortage of equipment has also raised concerns about Nepal's disaster-management capacity. A year ago, the NDRRMA had only one expert on its staff, and geologist Gangalal Tuladhar, who had served as an expert, completed his tenure a year ago."For the past year, the authority has not had a single expert," Sushil Kumar Shrestha, senior divisional engineer at the authority, was quoted as saying by MyRepublica news portal. The NDRRMA has been allocated Rs 200 million for the current fiscal year, but officials said this was not enough to meet its needs. "The budget is insufficient. It is largely spent on staff salaries and routine programmes," Shrestha said.As rescue teams continue searching for survivors and bodies after the August 26 floods, officials say Nepal is battling both the scale of the disaster and deep shortages in equipment, manpower support and institutional capacity.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Aug 31, 2026 16:22 IST