RASUWA, NEPAL / RankWire.AI / – The UAE Search and Rescue Team has initiated on-the-ground operations in Nepal’s Rasuwa district following severe floodwaters that inundated the region. Their mission involves assisting Nepali authorities in exploring damaged communities and navigating challenging terrain. To aid their efforts, the team employs drones, aerial imaging, and three-dimensional mapping technologies to examine the impacted zones. These tools provide search teams with detailed visuals of areas where floodwaters have destroyed roads, structures, and vital infrastructure.
UAE personnel are working closely with local officials to prioritize search zones across Rasuwa. Hamoud Al Afari, the head of UAE relief operations, emphasized that advanced technical equipment plays a critical role in locating missing persons. The teams are combining ground searches with aerial reconnaissance in regions where damaged roads hinder access. Their focus remains on pinpointing disaster-affected areas, creating detailed maps of routes, and supporting rescue operations throughout the flood-affected landscape.
The UAE’s rescue unit arrived in Nepal via its third relief flight on September 4, carrying 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid for communities impacted by the floods. Officials confirmed that this shipment brings the UAE’s total relief aid to 148 tonnes. Dubai Police personnel have joined the deployment with specialized equipment designed for disaster response. Additionally, the UAE Aid Agency is managing a $10 million relief package that includes food, shelter supplies, generators, and other essential resources.
Search Operations Grow in Scope Across Rasuwa
Local authorities reported a total of 1,356 rescues by the evening of September 6. This number comprises 1,270 Nepali nationals and 86 foreigners. Helicopters have also transported 1,414 flood-affected individuals and stranded pilgrims to Nuwakot and Kathmandu. Officials are continuously updating lists of individuals still unaccounted for, including residents, government workers, security forces, bank employees, and foreign visitors who were in the affected zones at the time of flooding.
In addition, district officials have recovered 169 bodies so far during ongoing search efforts. By September 6, six of these recovered victims had been identified. Nepal Police have requested relatives of missing Nepali and foreign nationals to submit DNA profiles for identification purposes. When possible, they prefer samples from immediate family members. Families residing outside Nepal can send DNA data electronically for comparison with recovered remains. Authorities are revising records of missing persons and identifications as new findings are reported from field teams.
Rescue and Relief Efforts Merge in Flood Response
Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that the floodwaters from the Bhote Koshi River affected Rasuwa around 8:40 a.m. on August 26. The flooding also caused damage in riverbank areas of Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha districts. The government launched emergency search, rescue, and relief operations immediately following the disaster. Damage assessments show destruction to roads, bridges, homes, schools, banks, and hydropower plants. Relief teams have distributed supplies while officials evaluate the extent of damage across affected communities.
The UAE’s ongoing deployment continues to concentrate on locating search zones, conducting aerial surveys, and creating detailed maps for ground teams. Relief workers are also distributing food packages and essential supplies within flood- and landslide-affected communities. Meanwhile, Nepali authorities persist with rescue, recovery, and identification efforts across Rasuwa, maintaining updated records of missing individuals. As of September 7, these figures remain subject to change, as field teams continue reporting new findings from search sites.