Kathmandu. As many as 11,993 people have been rescued till Wednesday evening after the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi River. Similarly, 4,216 people are still out of contact. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the search for the uncontacted has been taken up with priority along with relief and rescue work after the floods.

A total of 21,314 security personnel including Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been deployed in the disaster-hit areas, said NRA Spokesperson Shanti Mahat.

A total of 7,912 Nepal Police, 9,199 personnel from the Nepal Army and 4,203 from the Armed Police Force have been deployed for rescue and disaster management.

Security personnel are searching the river banks, flood-affected settlements, roads and landslide-affected areas. Rescue and search is challenging as roads and physical infrastructure have been damaged in some places due to floods, according to the NRA. The death toll in the floods has reached 1,204 so far.

Search and rescue operations have been intensified in the affected districts. According to the NRA, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Nawalparasi East, Nawalparasi West, Tanahun and Chitwan have been affected by the floods.

So far, 115 dead bodies have been recovered in Rasuwa, 155 in Nuwakot, 60 in Dhading, 69 in Gorkha, 217 in Nawalparasi East, 202 in Nawalparasi West, 38 in Tanahun and 348 in Chitwan. The private sector companies, including the Nepal Army, have been carrying out air rescue operations with high priority during the disaster. So far, 4,091 Nepalis and 273 foreign nationals have been rescued.

The Nepal Army has so far conducted 690 flights during search and rescue operations. The authority has conducted 80 flights on Wednesday alone. The private sector has also supported the rescue and relief work through 29 flights so far. Rescue and relief materials are being delivered by air to remote and road-cut areas.

According to the NRA, 45 people from the Nepal Army, 25 from the Nepal Police and 13 from the Armed Police Force are out of contact after the floods. Similarly, 14 people from the customs office, three from the immigration office and about 865 from Rasuwa are out of contact.

According to the NRA, 1,558 people from Nuwakot, 583 foreign nationals and 164 Nepalis who had gone with tourists are also out of contact. According to the NRA, around 900 people working in hydropower projects, three in Langtang National Park, three in quarantine office, seven people’s representatives, 32 employees of the local level or subordinate and one person from a private school are out of contact.

The government has continued relief and rescue for the people affected by the floods. Food, non-food items, medicines and medical supplies are being sent to the affected areas. Search and rescue operations have been made effective as the floods have caused huge loss of life and thousands of people are still out of contact. Priority has been given to relief and health services and expanding access to essential goods in the affected areas.

After the floods caused huge loss of life and property, the security agencies, local levels and various agencies of the state are continuously engaged in rescue and relief. The search operation has been intensified as the number of people who are out of contact is large, the authority said.