RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – The UAE Search and Rescue Team is actively engaged in field missions within Nepal’s flood-affected Rasuwa district. Their deployment aims to assist Nepalese authorities in searching areas impacted by the flood from the Bhote Koshi River on August 26. The teams are conducting on-the-ground searches and field assessments at sites hit hardest, utilizing drones for aerial imaging, mapping, and 3D terrain modeling. This technology is critical for pinpointing search locations and accessing zones where floodwaters have damaged roads and infrastructure.
Collaborating closely with Nepalese officials, the UAE team directs search efforts across Rasuwa. Hamoud Al Afari, director of UAE relief operations, confirmed that advanced technology is enhancing the search for missing persons. Their field operations followed initial evaluations of flood- and landslide-affected zones, many of which face accessibility challenges due to extensive infrastructural damage. The teams continue to integrate ground efforts with aerial surveys to better understand the disaster’s impact and optimize search activities.
The UAE search unit arrived in Nepal on the third relief flight on September 4, bringing with them 20 tonnes of aid supplies. This flight increased total relief deliveries from the UAE to Nepal to 148 tonnes. The specialized team includes personnel from Dubai Police equipped with technical gear designed for disaster response. The UAE Aid Agency is overseeing a $10 million aid package for communities impacted by the floods and landslides. Previous flights delivered essentials such as food, shelter materials, generators, and other vital supplies.
Search efforts expand across flood-affected Rasuwa
As of the evening of September 6, Nepal’s District Administration Office in Rasuwa reported a total of 1,356 rescues. This number includes 1,270 Nepali citizens and 86 foreign nationals. Authorities also stated that helicopters had evacuated 1,414 flood-affected individuals and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. The district continues updating records of those still missing or out of contact following the disaster, including residents, security personnel, government staff, bank workers, and international tourists.
Furthermore, authorities have recovered 169 bodies from affected zones, having identified six so far. The process of identifying the remaining bodies is ongoing. Nepal Police have requested relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to provide DNA profiles for matching with recovered remains, prioritizing samples from first-degree relatives when possible. Families abroad can submit DNA data electronically. Ongoing efforts also include maintaining updated lists of missing persons and those still unaccounted for.
Relief efforts continue alongside ongoing search operations
According to Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs, the Bhote Koshi flood struck Rasuwa around 8:40 a.m. on August 26. Floodwaters also damaged riverbank areas in districts such as Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha. The government immediately launched search, rescue, and emergency relief activities. Damage assessments show extensive destruction to roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower plants. Relief supplies have been distributed at multiple sites, and ongoing evaluations continue to document physical and human losses.
The UAE team’s presence in Rasuwa is part of Nepal’s larger search and relief effort. Their current focus includes site searches, aerial surveys, and detailed mapping to aid ground teams. Relief personnel are also distributing food, essential items, and other supplies in affected regions. While operations proceed in damaged zones, local authorities update records related to rescue, recovery, and missing persons, with the latest district data still under active revision as of September 7.