RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – The UAE Search and Rescue Team has initiated on-the-ground operations in Nepal’s Rasuwa district following devastating floods that affected the region. The team is assisting Nepali authorities by conducting searches in damaged communities and challenging terrains. Their efforts are supported by drones, aerial imaging, and three-dimensional mapping technologies that provide detailed views of the disaster zones. These tools help locate areas where floodwaters have damaged infrastructure such as roads and buildings.
Coordination with local officials is ongoing to prioritize search zones throughout Rasuwa. Hamoud Al Afari, director of UAE relief operations, explained that advanced technical equipment is aiding teams in locating missing persons. The search strategy combines ground operations with aerial surveys in zones where damaged roads hinder access. The main focus is on mapping affected areas, planning rescue routes, and supporting emergency personnel operating within the flood-affected zones.
The UAE’s third relief flight carried the search and rescue team to Nepal on Sept. 4, bringing with it 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid for communities impacted by the floods. According to officials, the total relief supplies delivered by the UAE now amount to 148 tonnes. Members of Dubai Police participated in the operation, bringing specialized disaster response equipment. The UAE Aid Agency is managing a $10 million aid package that includes food, shelter materials, generators, and other vital supplies.
Rescue operations extend across Rasuwa’s impacted regions
By the evening of Sept. 6, authorities in Rasuwa had recorded 1,356 rescues, comprising 1,270 Nepali nationals and 86 foreign residents. Helicopters also transported 1,414 flood-affected individuals and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. Officials continue to update lists of those still missing, including residents, government workers, security personnel, bank employees, and foreign visitors in the affected areas when the floods occurred.
As search efforts proceed, authorities have recovered 169 bodies, with six identified as of Sept. 6. Nepal Police have requested DNA samples from relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to assist with identification. Priority is given to samples from first-degree relatives where possible. Families abroad can submit DNA data electronically for comparison with recovered remains. Field teams are continually updating records of missing persons and identifications based on ongoing findings.
Flood response combines rescue operations with relief distribution
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs reported that the flood caused by the Bhote Koshi River struck Rasuwa around 8:40 a.m. on Aug. 26. Floodwaters also affected riverbank areas of Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. The government launched search, rescue, and emergency relief efforts immediately after the disaster. Damage assessments indicate destruction to roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower infrastructure. Relief teams have been actively distributing supplies while officials evaluate the extent of destruction in the impacted communities.
The UAE’s deployment continues to focus on prioritizing search sites, conducting aerial surveys, and creating detailed maps for ground teams. Relief personnel are distributing food parcels and essential items within flood- and landslide-affected communities. Nepali authorities are maintaining rescue, recovery, and identification operations across Rasuwa, with ongoing updates to missing persons records. As of Sept. 7, the figures remain provisional, pending further reports from field teams conducting searches at various sites.