LONDON, October 5. /TASS/. Nepal has called an end to search and rescue operations for those who are still missing after August floods which turned out to be the most devastating in the country’s history, Reuters reported.
The decision was made at a meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah. "We are mobilizing our resources and personnel to finish up cleanup efforts following the natural disaster on August 26 as quickly as possible," the prime minister said.
The Council recommended the finance ministry approve the allocation of $3.6 billion on 504 reconstruction and rehabilitation programs in flood-hit regions and on developing an emergency warning system.
According to sources, the bulk of the funds will be used to restore infrastructure. Thus, $2.56 billion will go to the reconstruction of power grids and hydropower plants, and $481 million will be allocated to repair roads and bridges.
A powerful flood hit northern Nepal on August 26, killing more than 1,450 people. The disaster was caused by an avalanche near the Chinese border, about 20 kilometers northeast of the Rasuwagadhi border crossing. A massive flow of rock and debris traveled more than 70 kilometers along a riverbed at high speed, destroying settlements and flooding a large area. According to the latest data, nearly 5,300 people, including 589 foreign tourists, remain missing. The Russian embassy’s missing persons lists include 11 Russian nationals. Nearly 13,800 people have been saved.
