At least 517 foreign nationals remain missing or out of contact, including 178 Indians, while Nepal has opted for international financial assistance through a single-window mechanism for rescue, relief and reconstruction.
BY PC Bureau
August 27, 2026: Nepal has decided to handle the massive search-and-rescue operation following the Bhotekoshi floods with its own security forces, turning down offers from several countries to send specialised rescue teams even as hundreds of foreign nationals remain missing or out of contact.
According to kathmandu Post, Nepali authorities have said the decision was based on an assessment that the Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force had sufficient capacity to conduct the operation. The government is instead asking foreign countries for financial assistance through a single-window mechanism, with additional international support expected during the reconstruction and rehabilitation phase.
According to Nepal Police data, 517 foreign nationals remain missing following Wednesday’s devastating floods. The missing include 178 Indians, 65 Americans, 51 Malaysians, 53 Ukrainians, 33 Britons, 35 Australians and 25 Canadians, besides nationals of more than three dozen other countries. Chinese authorities have separately reported that at least 100 Chinese nationals remain out of contact.
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APPEAL FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE RESCUE, RELIEF AND REHABILITATION OF FLOOD-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES
At approximately 8:40 a.m. NST on Wednesday, 26 August 2026, a devastating flash flood occurred in the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa, affecting riverine areas in Rasuwa, Nuwakot,… pic.twitter.com/g2i6VEqUxQ— Nepal Embassy, India (@EONIndia) August 27, 2026
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India’s Ministry of External Affairs has said more than 200 Indian nationals trapped by the floods are seeking evacuation.
A senior Nepali foreign ministry official has been quoted by Nepal newspapers saying Kathmandu had received both formal and informal requests from India, China, the United States, Britain, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to deploy rescue personnel. The offers were declined after the security agencies advised that foreign teams were not required at this stage.
Officials said Nepal’s experience during the 2015 earthquake, when the arrival of numerous international rescue teams created logistical and coordination difficulties, also influenced the decision.
India had specifically sought permission to deploy teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) after hundreds of Indian nationals lost contact in the disaster zone. Similar offers from China and other countries were also turned down.
The government has, however, welcomed international financial and humanitarian assistance. India has already supplied more than 47.5 tonnes of relief material and offered Bailey bridges and prefabricated truss bridges.
To coordinate assistance to foreign nationals, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has established an Emergency Response Team (ERT). The team will coordinate information verification, search-and-rescue efforts and consular assistance for foreign nationals affected by the floods.
READ: China-Nepal Row Over Deadly Flood: Dam Collapse or Glacial Disaster?
An under secretary has reportdly also been sent to the operations centre in Timure, Rasuwa, to coordinate with security personnel and relay information about missing foreigners to the Foreign Ministry. Relatives, diplomatic missions and international organisations have been asked to use dedicated communication channels for updates.
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has directed senior ministry officials to remain in contact with foreign governments and provide regular updates on their nationals. Nepali diplomatic missions abroad have also been instructed to channel financial assistance through the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.
Several countries and international institutions have already pledged support. The United States, United Kingdom and World Bank have announced financial assistance, while the Asian Development Bank has offered continued support for disaster preparedness, early-warning systems, risk assessment and resilient infrastructure.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was ready to provide humanitarian assistance, while British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband contacted Khanal to express support and seek updates on rescue efforts, including the search for missing British nationals.
