Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel on Wednesday directed the government to speed up rescue, rehabilitation and reconstruction drives, as the death toll from the devastating flash floods surged to 1,365.
KATHMANDU — Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel on Wednesday directed the government to speed up rescue, rehabilitation and reconstruction drives, as the death toll from the devastating flash floods surged to 1,365.
Paudel said the restoration of the transport system and rehabilitation should be intensified and suggested that the government should seek support from the international community for building big infrastructure if these are beyond national capacity, according to Nepali Congress lawmaker Arjun Narsingh K C.
He also asked the government to make search and rescue operations more effective, as there is still the possibility of rescuing people hit by the disaster.
Nepal should raise its voice on international forums in a way to secure compensation for the loss and damage caused by climate change, President Paudel said during an interaction with the ministers at his residence at Sheetalniwas, Kathmandu.
In separate meetings, President Paudel asked Foreign Minister Sishir Khanal and Minister for Infrastructure Development Sunil Lamsal to speed up proper management of people staying in relief camps and restoration of roads.
Short-term, mid-term and long-term plans can be prepared for reconstruction of damaged infrastructure, he said, adding that immediate measures should be in place to ease the hardship.
House of Representatives member Arjun Narsing KC, elected from flood-hit Nuwakot district and Army Chief Ashok Raj Sigdel were among those present at the meeting.
The ministers informed President Paudel that work was going on round the clock to arrange temporary settlements for the displaced people.
The friendly countries were requested for support to construct long bailey bridges and manage alternative roads. Necessary materials were being received for the reconstruction works, the ministers told the President.
The flash floods, triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, devastated towns and villages in northern and central Nepal.
The Bhotekoshi River, which flows south from the Himalayan border region, carried the floodwaters downstream, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects.
The death toll from the disaster surged to 1,365 on Wednesday as more bodies were recovered from the affected areas, authorities said.
Rescue teams continued to search for 5,326 people, including at least 589 foreign nationals, who remain missing, according to a Nepal Police news bulletin.