Nepal PM thanks India for flood rescue help after minister seeks compensation, as reconstruction estimates reach billions of dollar

Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah has thanked India and China for their assistance following the devastating flash floods that have killed more than 1,100 people and left nearly 4,900 missing. Speaking in Parliament on Wednesday, Shah said Kathmandu had been engaging with the international community since the disaster began and had worked to speed up procedures for receiving emergency assistance.

The latest figures put the death toll at 1,127, while rescue teams continue to search through rain and debris after the floods devastated northern and central parts of Nepal.

Also Read: Nepal floods: Green house that went viral standing amid raging water and debris, owner reveals what happened inside

India and China step up assistance after floods

According to The Kathmandu Post, Shah said teams from India and China showed interest in supporting Nepal soon after the disaster.

Foreign rescue teams initially carried out aerial assessments but could not land because of difficult ground conditions. They were later able to reach affected areas after helicopters could operate safely and heavy equipment could be brought in, Shah said.

India has supplied relief material as well as specialised assistance for search and rescue operations. On Tuesday, New Delhi sent its fifth consignment, with an Indian Air Force aircraft carrying an 11-member rescue team, specialised equipment and 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines.

“The fifth Indian aircraft has departed for Nepal. It is carrying an 11-member rescue team with specialised equipment, and 5.5 tonnes of essential medicines,” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said in a post on X on Tuesday.

Indian personnel have also been involved in rescue efforts around hydropower tunnels and forensic work aimed at identifying victims amid the scale of the casualties and missing persons.

Reconstruction bill could reach $5 billion

The scale of the damage could also create a major financial burden for Nepal. Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle said the country may require between $4 billion and $5 billion for reconstruction after the floods.

As reported by Reuters, Wagle said the preliminary estimate amounted to nearly one-tenth of Nepal’s economy, while stressing that the figure remained an early assessment.

“The initial estimate is between $4-$5 billion. Just an estimate,” Wagle said. He added that Nepal would require less than it did following the 2015 earthquake and that authorities were still assessing the losses.

Rescue operations continue as authorities deal with the death toll, missing persons, debris and the wider economic impact of the disaster.

Nepal PM links disaster risks to climate change

Shah said the disaster had also highlighted what he described as growing dangers for communities living in the Himalayan region as climate change intensifies.

He said experts had attributed the Bhotekoshi flash flood in Rasuwa district to an ice-rock avalanche in the Himalayas, arguing that the incident demonstrated the increasing risks faced by mountain populations.

“According to experts, the flash flood in Bhotekoshi of Rasuwa district was caused by an ice-rock avalanche in the Himalayas. This incident shows the increasing risk the people of the mountain region have to bear with the occurrence of climate change,” Shah said.

He called for Nepal to make the connection between the disaster and climate change more forcefully at international forums.

“Therefore,” Shah said, “We need to present the fact in a strong manner to the international community that the disaster is linked to climate change.”

He added that responsibility for addressing the effects of climate change should be shared internationally because its causes and consequences extend beyond individual countries.

“There is a global contribution behind climate change. And the responsibility to manage and minimise its effects also rests with the global community,” the prime minister said.

Also Read: Nepal seeks climate compensation from India, China and US after deadly floods leave 4,000 missing

Nepal seeks compensation, not just aid

Earlier on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal called for a broader international response, arguing that Nepal contributes “virtually negligible” greenhouse gas emissions while facing a disproportionate share of the effects.

In an interview with Kantipur TV, excerpts of which were published by The Kathmandu Post, Khanal said Nepal was increasingly seeking accountability rather than limiting its diplomatic demands to emergency aid.

“We are paying the ultimate price for a global crisis we did not create. The rapid melting of glaciers and these catastrophic mountain tsunamis are direct consequences of global climate change,” he said.

Khanal said Nepal was moving from requesting “aid” towards seeking “justice and compensation”, arguing that the issue involved legal and moral responsibility rather than charity.

“This is not a matter of charity; it is a matter of legal and moral liability,” he said, adding that Nepal would raise the matter “with absolute firmness and clarity” at international forums.

According to news agency PTI, Khanal named China, the US and India as the three largest greenhouse gas emitters and said they had a “historical responsibility to compensate vulnerable nations like Nepal”.

He described the issue as one involving the future of the Himalayan region and South Asia, warning that the disappearance of Himalayan glaciers could affect water security for more than two billion people dependent on rivers including the Ganges and the Trishuli.

“This is a matter of civilisational survival. If our Himalayan glaciers disappear, the water security of over two billion people in South Asia dependent on rivers like the Ganges and the Trishuli will be permanently compromised. We are advocating not just for Nepal, but for the survival of South Asian civilisation,” Khanal said.

Nepal approaches loss and damage fund

Nepal has also formally approached the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage for urgent financial assistance following the flash flood in the Bhotekoshi River basin.

A letter jointly signed by Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Forests and Agriculture Minister Geeta Chaudhary said the disaster had created extensive economic and non-economic losses that exceeded Nepal’s immediate capacity to respond.

The flash floods were triggered by an ice-rock avalanche near the Nepal-Tibet border on August 26, with towns and villages across northern and central Nepal suffering extensive destruction.

(With inputs from Agencies)