RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – Amid ongoing emergency responses to devastating floods, the UAE Search and Rescue Team has expanded its operations in Nepal’s heavily affected Rasuwa district. The team’s deployment supports efforts by Nepalese authorities to locate and assist those impacted by the floodwaters from the August 26 Bhote Koshi River disaster. Their activities involve on-the-ground searches and field assessments at sites impacted by the flooding. Utilizing drones for aerial imagery, the team conducts surveys and three-dimensional terrain mapping to assist in pinpointing search locations and reaching areas where floodwaters have obstructed access routes and damaged infrastructure.
Working in close coordination with local authorities, the UAE team directs search efforts across Rasuwa. Hamoud Al Afari, the director of UAE relief operations, emphasized that the advanced technology being employed is instrumental in finding missing persons. This field deployment followed evaluations of flood- and landslide-affected zones, where access has been hindered by extensive damage to roads and vital infrastructure. As part of their ongoing strategy, search crews are merging ground operations with aerial reconnaissance to better understand the scope of the damage and optimize search activities.
The UAE relief team arrived in Nepal aboard the third aid flight on September 4, bringing with them 20 tonnes of supplies. This flight increased the total relief deliveries to Nepal to 148 tonnes, according to officials. The specialized search group includes personnel from Dubai Police and is equipped with technical gear tailored for disaster response. The UAE Aid Agency is managing a $10 million aid package aimed at assisting communities affected by the floods and landslides. Earlier aid flights carried essential supplies such as food, shelter materials, generators, and other vital items.
Search operations extend across flood-affected Rasuwa
As of the evening of September 6, Nepal’s District Administration Office in Rasuwa reported that 1,356 individuals had been rescued. This figure includes 1,270 Nepali citizens and 86 foreign nationals. Authorities also confirmed that helicopters had evacuated 1,414 flood-affected persons and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. The district continues to update records of people unaccounted for following the disaster, including local residents, security personnel, government workers, bank employees, and tourists from abroad.
The same district report documented the recovery of 169 bodies from the impacted zones. Authorities identified six of these and are continuing efforts to determine the identities of the remaining recovered victims. Nepal Police has requested relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to submit DNA profiles for comparison with recovered remains, emphasizing the importance of samples from first-degree relatives when possible. Those living abroad can electronically submit DNA profiles for matching. Additionally, authorities are maintaining up-to-date records of individuals reported missing or out of contact.
Relief efforts proceed alongside ongoing search operations
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs reported that the Bhote Koshi flood struck Rasuwa around 8:40 a.m. on August 26. Floodwaters also caused damage to riverbank areas in districts such as Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha. Following the disaster, the government initiated search, rescue, and emergency relief activities. Local officials have documented widespread damage to roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower facilities. Relief supplies are being distributed at multiple sites, alongside ongoing assessments of both physical infrastructure and human losses.
The efforts of the UAE team in Rasuwa form a key part of Nepal’s broader search and relief strategy. Their current focus includes conducting searches, aerial surveys, and detailed mapping to support ground-based personnel. Relief workers from the UAE are also distributing food parcels, essential items, and other supplies across affected regions. While search teams operate in damaged areas, local authorities continue updating rescue, recovery, and missing-person records. As of September 7, these records were still actively being revised, reflecting the ongoing nature of the response.