- Over a dozen nations offered Nepal medical, financial, and rescue aid following devastating floods and landslides in Rasuwa and surrounding regions.
- Nepal’s security forces lead local operations, but the government requested specialized help from India and China for complex tunnel rescue missions.
- While prioritizing national coordination, experts urge the government to accept international specialized equipment to save lives as time rapidly runs out.
Kathmandu, Nepal: More than a dozen countries have offered to help Nepal rescue people affected by the devastating floods and landslides in Rasuwa.
India, China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, Türkiye, South Korea and Japan are among the countries that have expressed their willingness to provide assistance.
The offers include emergency search and rescue, medical support and financial assistance.
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have shown particular interest in providing medical assistance, while several other countries have offered rescue teams, technical support and emergency resources.
The Nepal government is ready to accept medical and financial assistance. However, it has been cautious about bringing foreign rescue teams directly into the affected areas.
The government says Nepal's security agencies are already working around the clock and have experience working in the difficult mountain terrain of Rasuwa, Nuwakot and surrounding areas.
But the situation is also raising an important question: If additional help can save lives, should Nepal wait before accepting it?
Nepali security agencies leading the rescue
The Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police are leading the rescue and search operations.
Rescue teams have been working in extremely difficult conditions. Floods and landslides have destroyed roads, changed river channels and covered large areas with mud and debris. In some places, heavy equipment such as cranes and bulldozers cannot reach the affected areas.
The terrain is particularly difficult in areas from Syabrubesi toward Rasuwagadhi, where deep gorges and narrow mountain valleys make rescue operations difficult.
Nepali Army spokesperson Brigadier General Rajaram Basnet said the Army had deployed all available teams and was using its experience and resources to help those affected.
He said an exit point at the Trishuli-3A hydropower project was opened and four people were rescued.
“The flood has changed the physical structure of the land itself. It is difficult to take bulldozers and cranes to some places,” Basnet said.
The Army says communication with some areas has also been disrupted, making it difficult to know the exact situation of everyone who may be trapped or missing.
Nepal asks India and China for help
Although the government has been cautious about accepting foreign rescue teams more broadly, it has asked India and China for help in rescuing people believed to be trapped inside tunnels.
Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal said Nepal had already requested assistance from both countries and had received positive responses.
“We have already requested India and China to provide the necessary assistance to rescue employees, workers and experts trapped inside the tunnels. We have received a positive response,” Khanal said.
India has also expressed its readiness to support Nepal during the disaster.
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India stood with Nepal and was working through its diplomatic missions to gather information and prepare for a quick response.
Nepali officials believe the assistance could include support for rescuing people trapped inside tunnels and other urgent operations.
Foreign help should not be seen as a weakness
The government's decision to be careful about foreign rescue teams is understandable. Bringing several international teams into a disaster area at the same time can create additional challenges if there is no proper coordination.
Nepal also has considerable experience in disaster response. Its security agencies have played an important role during earthquakes, floods and landslides over the years.
But accepting international help does not mean that Nepal is unable to handle its own problems.
In a disaster of this scale, countries with special equipment, trained rescue workers and medical teams can provide valuable support.
The important question should therefore be what kind of help is needed, where it is needed and how quickly it can be used to save lives.
Nepal can keep overall control of the rescue operation while allowing foreign teams to work in areas where their expertise or equipment is needed.
Clear coordination is important
If foreign rescue teams are brought in, the government can give them clearly defined responsibilities.
Their working areas, duties, security arrangements and length of stay can be decided in advance. Nepali security agencies can continue to lead and coordinate the overall rescue operation.
Such an approach would allow Nepal to make use of international expertise without creating confusion in the field.
Foreign nationals also affected
People from several countries are believed to have been affected by the disaster. Their governments have therefore shown concern and offered to help.
It is natural for countries to want to know the condition of their citizens during a major disaster. Their willingness to assist should be seen primarily from a humanitarian perspective.
At the same time, all international assistance should be coordinated through the Nepal government so that rescue work remains organized and focused on those who need help most.
Time is running out
The need for quick action is becoming more urgent.
Bodies carried by the floodwaters from Rasuwa and Nuwakot have reportedly been found downstream in areas including Chitwan and Nawalparasi and even across the border in India.
The search for missing people is continuing, while injured survivors need immediate medical care.
There is also concern that delays in recovering bodies could create health risks. At the same time, people who may still be trapped or isolated need to be reached as quickly as possible.
For the government, there is little time left for lengthy discussions.
Save lives first
Nepal's own security agencies should remain at the center of the rescue effort. Their knowledge of the country's terrain and their experience in disaster response are extremely valuable.
But national leadership and international assistance can work together.
Where Nepal has enough resources, Nepali agencies should lead. Where additional equipment, medical support or specialist rescue skills are needed, the government should not hesitate to seek help.
The Rasuwa disaster is first and foremost a humanitarian crisis. People trapped under debris, injured survivors, missing persons and families waiting for news cannot afford delays.
At this moment, the priority should be simple: use every available resource, whether national or international, to save as many lives as possible.
National pride is important, but in a disaster, saving human lives must come first.
