On Monday, 15 September, Prime Minister Balendra Shah, chair of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, ordered the suspension of all non‑essential search and rescue missions triggered by the August 26 Bhotekoshi‑Trishuli floods. The move concludes a 40‑day campaign that ended with 1,455 fatalities and 5,285 people still missing.
Tourism‑Department data now lists 606 foreign tourists unaccounted for, 189 of them Indians, 65 Americans, 55 Malaysians, 54 Ukrainians, 37 Chinese, 33 Australians, 33 Latvians, 32 British and 30 Canadians. Nepalese tourists also number 188 missing. A 32‑year‑old businessman from Tamil Nadu, Lakshman Rao, is among the 85 missing from that state.
The council’s recommendation calls for the finance ministry to green‑light a Rs 559 billion (₹35,000 crore) package covering 504 reconstruction and rehabilitation projects across ministries and agencies. NDRRMA will also solicit additional funds for unbudgeted projects.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs, through its Kathmandu consulate, is coordinating with Nepalese officials to track missing nationals and is urging prompt action. Families in Delhi are holding vigil for their missing relatives.
The finance ministry is expected to approve the package in the next parliamentary session, paving the way for reconstruction to kick off early next year.