Kathmandu estimates $4–5 billion reconstruction bill as rain and fog hamper operations and thousands remain missing.
Image: Euronews.com
Nepal has appealed for specialised foreign technical assistance after devastating floods along its border with Tibet, while bad weather has temporarily disrupted search and rescue operations.
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal said Nepal needs technical support for rescuing people trapped in tunnels, restoring transport and communication links damaged by destroyed bridges, identifying bodies and conducting DNA testing.
Search and rescue operations were temporarily suspended on Saturday as heavy rain and fog made conditions difficult in the worst-hit Rasuwa district. Authorities are now focusing on transporting rescued survivors, including pilgrims, to Kathmandu.
The disaster was triggered by a glacier collapse on Wednesday, sending huge torrents of rock, ice, mud and debris through mountain river systems. At least 626 people have been killed in Nepal and seven in Tibet, while nearly 3,000 people remain missing.
Nepal is also facing a massive reconstruction challenge. Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle estimated that the country could require between $4 billion and $5 billion to rebuild damaged infrastructure, stressing that the figure remains preliminary as authorities continue assessing losses.
The floods destroyed buildings, bridges and power infrastructure and also created further risks from unstable lakes upstream. Nepal is monitoring two such lakes amid warnings that additional flooding could threaten already devastated communities.
