The 21st National Council of the NDRRMA, convened at Singha Durbar, saw Prime Minister Balendra Shah sign off on winding the 40‑day search and rescue mission, leaving only essential duties active. The council noted that 5,285 people remain missing, while 13,795 have been rescued, and 1,455 lives were lost in the August 26 disaster.
The meeting cleared the path for a massive reconstruction push, with the Ministry of Finance earmarking NPR 559.17 billion for 504 recovery plans that span housing, roads, and hydropower projects. The finance minister will review the proposals next week, with a further allocation to be added once cost estimates are finalized.
The floods, triggered by a barrage of monsoon rains near the Nepal‑Tibet border, turned the Bhotekoshi River into a torrent that swept away villages, bridges, and power infrastructure. The incident also claimed 43 lives in Tibet and left more than 500 residents there unaccounted for, according to Chinese media.
Amid the rubble, authorities have set up temporary shelters for 1,226 displaced families, a move praised by community leaders who say the housing units are a lifeline while permanent homes are rebuilt. “We owe our gratitude to the volunteers and journalists who kept the rescue alive under the worst conditions,” said a spokesperson for the NDRRMA.
With the search phase concluding, the focus now shifts to rehabilitation, as the government prepares to launch the reconstruction drive on a coordinated federal‑provincial‑local framework, promising to start major works by the end of the fiscal year.