Nepal wants technical help for flood, billions of dollars as bad weather hampers rescue

Business Recorder reported that Nepal suspended rescue operations on Saturday because of bad weather and asked for foreign technical help to handle the flood that struck a district near Tibet. The Himalayan country of 30 million people expects to need between $4 billion and $5 billion for reconstruction, the finance minister told Reuters. The disaster followed a glacier collapse that sent a mix of rock, ice and mud down mountain river systems on Wednesday.

At least 626 people have died in Nepal and seven in Tibet, while nearly 3,000 remain missing, including at least 540 foreigners, with many of those missing being Hindu pilgrims from India. Rescue work was paused again after a lake that formed across the Nepal-China border started spilling into two rivers inside Nepal. Foreign minister Shisir Khanal said Nepal needs specialist help rather than general rescue, including support to reach people trapped in tunnels, restore transport links and carry out DNA testing.

India has sent three aircraft carrying roughly 60 tons of relief goods to Nepal and intends to deploy tunnel rescuers and medical staff. Beijing has urged emergency aid and international rescue cooperation without specifying what it is sending. Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle called the $4 billion to $5 billion range an initial estimate, with losses still under assessment.