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Prime Minister Balendra Shah has asserted that security personnel were deployed for search, rescue, treatment, and relief operations immediately after the massive flood hit the Bhotekoshi river on August 26.

Addressing today's meeting of the House of Representatives, he said that as soon as they received the information at 8:45 am on the day the flood occurred, they got a briefing from the District Disaster Management Committee and directed them to adopt security precautions. 

He said that at 9:00 in the same morning, they had, through the respective district administration offices, urged settlements in the riverbank areas to move to safe places, and at 9:15 am, in view of the situation, he convened an emergency meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

"There were decisions made on how to rescue people in the affected areas. At 9:35 in the morning, we sent alert notifications to the mobiles of citizens in the affected area through the telecom company. At 9:45 in the morning, the Nepal Army helicopter took off for the rescue. That was the first aerial rescue flight. We also immediately put private helicopters on standby,” PM Shah said.

He said that on the day of the incident, an emergency meeting of the 'Nepal Army's Monsoon Command Post' was held at 10 am, and it was decided to deploy resources and conduct search and rescue in the affected area.

“At 10:30 in the morning, we had the ‘Search and Rescue and Emergency Response Team’ ready at Tribhuvan International Airport. Security personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force were deployed for search, rescue, treatment, and relief operations from Kathmandu and other districts as well,” he said.

The meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management was convened at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers and it directed the chiefs of security agencies to prioritize search, rescue, and treatment, as people are in crisis in the affected areas, he said.

Prime Minister Shah informed the House that he had instructed the relevant authorities to deploy additional helicopters and drone teams, and called an emergency cabinet meeting to speed up search, rescue, and treatment in the affected areas.

“Also, it was decided to declare 15 affected local levels as 'disaster-affected areas' for three months, provide immediate financial assistance to the families of the deceased as per the law, rescue injured and stranded individuals immediately and move them to safe locations, and deploy the Nepal Army and private sector helicopters for this work,” he said.

Prime Minister Shah informed the HoR that it was decided to direct the Ministry of Health and Food Safety, the Nepali Army, and government hospitals to provide immediate free treatment for the injured, arrange for safe places for those who lost their homes, and ensure the speedy restoration of services like electricity, telecommunications, roads, and drinking water. 

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has said that the government cannot take a break during the disaster. 

Addressing a meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today, he mentioned that in this time of crisis, the country's leadership should give the people courage, support, and trust, not tears, and that acknowledging this reality they are working day and night.

He said that even when the heart is filled with sorrow, there’s even less time to lament with each other.

Prime Minister Shah said, "With that same strong resolve and courage, we had no choice but to fight this disaster, and we still don’t. We are fighting."

Stating that the massive flood occurred in the Bhotekoshi River of Rasuwa on August 26, in an instant took away children busy weaving their dreams, and parents, brothers and sisters who were spending time happily, he paid tribute to all those who lost their lives in the unimaginable disaster.

He also expressed his condolences to the family members who are in deep grief after losing their loved ones.

Prime Minister Shah wished a speedy recovery to everyone who was injured in the disaster and mentioned that he deeply feels the pain of the citizens who are still searching for their missing people.

"This pain is not just of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, or Dhading; it is a 'collective thunderbolt' struck on the heart of the entire Nepal. Hearing the tragic cries of citizens affected by the flood deeply pains my heart," he said.

Prime Minister Shah gave the House detailed information about the work the government is carrying out to save the lives of those affected by the devastating flash flood.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has shared that 1,114 people lost their lives in the Bhotekoshi flash flood so far.

Similarly, 3,916 are still missing in the flood that occurred on August 26. 

Making public the recent updated details, NDRRMA Spokesperson Shanti Mahat mentioned that 41 dead bodies were recovered in Rasuwa, 155 in Nuwakot, 59 in Dhading, 66 in Gorkha, 35 in Tanahun, 177 in Nawalparasi East, 190 in Nalwalparasi West and 348 in Chitwan. 

Twenty-one thousand three hundred fourteen security personnel of the Nepal Police, Nepal Army and Armed Police Force Nepal have been mobilized for search and rescue operations in flood-hit areas. 

A total of 11,993 people have been rescued so far, added the NDRRMA. 

Likewise, essential foods have been transported to flood-affected areas through 37 trucks and 37 small vehicles. 

Relief materials have been provided to flood-hit families through helicopters and the government has released Rs 67.5 million for 15 flood-affected municipalities so far, according to NDRRMA. 

Necessary arrangement is underway for fuel and restoration of communication service in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts. 

Fund raising for the August 26 Bhotekoshi flood survivors continues. 

According to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Rs 6.36 billion has been deposited in the Prime Minister's Relief Fund, spread out in the accounts maintained at nine different commercial banks.

Out of which, Rs 1 billion was released today for the flood-affected areas. 

As a result, the Fund now has a balance of Rs 5.36 billion. 

Similarly, USD 6.11 million have been deposited in dollar accounts maintained by the Fund at Himalayan Bank and Laxmi Bank. 

Meanwhile, several countries and organizations have expressed their commitment for financial aid to help Nepal in the post-disaster management and recovery.

It may be noted that the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has been publishing the details of the amount received in these funds from home and abroad so far by operating the 'Rescue Request Portal'.