Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has said the government has made the search and rescue of employees, workers and civilians who remain missing following the Bhotekoshi flood a top priority and is mobilising all available resources for the effort.
He said difficult weather and challenging terrain have made it difficult to achieve the expected results.
Meeting the families of missing employees at the ministry, Minister Shrestha said the government was leaving no stone unturned in the rescue effort. He said providing affected families with regular, accurate and reliable updates about rescue operations was an important responsibility of the state during a crisis.
“I understand the pain of families who cannot contact their loved ones. Every second matters to us. The government is doing everything possible to save the lives of citizens and employees. However, circumstances beyond our control are making it difficult to do many things even when we want to,” he said.
The ministry said it has mobilised available resources for rescue, coordination and rehabilitation following the floods, working through various command structures and operational mechanisms.
Although rescue operations have been intensified in coordination with security agencies, Shrestha said difficult terrain and safety risks had prevented teams from achieving the expected results.
At the central level, the minister is leading interministerial coordination, facilitation and arrangements for necessary resources. The ministry secretary, Nepal Electricity Authority executive director and other senior officials have also been deployed in the field to oversee rescue, rehabilitation, coordination and resource mobilisation.Follow Federal Policy
Meanwhile, speaking at a meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority held on Saturday night, Shrestha said effective information sharing and coordination should receive as much attention as rescue operations during disasters.
He said employees, rescuers and security personnel were working around the clock in the field, but delays in communicating accurate information to families were adding to their distress and uncertainty.
Shrestha stressed the need to strengthen mechanisms for regularly providing families with updates on rescue and rehabilitation efforts. He also called for a clear framework to manage relief and rescue supplies so that available assistance could be matched with actual needs.
The Energy Ministry is also prioritising the restoration of electricity systems and essential infrastructure damaged by the floods alongside ongoing rescue operations, Shrestha said.
