Singapore sends disaster aid and police specialists to flood-hit Nepal

Singapore will send humanitarian supplies and personnel to Nepal as rescue operations continue following devastating flash floods along the Nepal-China border, with more than 900 people confirmed dead and more than 4,200 still reported missing.

Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan spoke with Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal on Monday (31 August) to convey Singapore’s condolences and discuss assistance for the ongoing relief operation.

Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said the Nepalese government had requested specialist support from the Singapore Police Force (SPF). The SPF will therefore deploy officers specialising in Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) to Nepal.

The Singapore Government will also provide humanitarian assistance consisting of civilian and Singapore Armed Forces supplies.

The latest assistance comes after Singapore contributed US$100,000 on 28 August as seed funding for a Singapore Red Cross public fundraising campaign supporting flood relief in Nepal. The Singapore Red Cross said it had also committed S$50,000 in direct humanitarian aid.

Death toll reaches 903 as thousands remain missing

Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) reported on Monday that 903 people had died and 4,227 remained missing, based on information collected by 9am.

Onlinekhabar reported that 10,451 people had been rescued, while 267 people had been injured and 156 of them had subsequently been discharged from hospital. More than 20,800 security personnel had been deployed for rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations.

The Kathmandu Post reported a slightly different missing-person figure of 4,247, including 592 foreign nationals. The discrepancy reflects the continuing difficulty authorities face in compiling a definitive list as information arrives from local governments, security agencies, hydropower projects and other organisations.

The disaster struck on 26 August after a massive flow of water, mud, rock and debris swept through communities along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems in northern Nepal.

Rescue teams search blocked hydropower tunnels

Rescuers are continuing to focus on hydropower facilities where workers remain unaccounted for after tunnels and access roads were buried by debris.

The NDRRMA's figures include hundreds of people reported missing from hydropower projects, although authorities have stressed that the number does not necessarily represent a confirmed headcount of people trapped underground.

Nepal's Army, Police and Armed Police Force are continuing search operations while authorities work to establish the condition of affected hydropower workers.

The Kathmandu Post reported that families were travelling between hospitals, morgues and rescue centres across Nepal in search of missing relatives. The uncertainty has been compounded by the destruction of roads and communications infrastructure in some of the worst-affected areas.

Foreign nationals among those unaccounted for

Foreign nationals make up a significant proportion of those still unaccounted for.

The Kathmandu Post reported that 592 foreign nationals were included in Nepal's missing-person figures on Monday. The missing include tourists and pilgrims travelling through northern Nepal towards Tibet.

The disaster has also affected Singaporeans. Singapore's MFA has been working with Nepalese and Chinese authorities to locate Singapore citizens reported missing after the floods.

Earlier, CNA reported that nine Singaporeans were among those missing in the wider Nepal-Tibet disaster area. Families of missing Singaporeans have appealed for information about their relatives as authorities continue their searches.

Singapore's MFA Crisis Response Team has been in Nepal since 27 August to provide consular assistance. The team has met Nepalese authorities, visited a rescue base camp and hospitals, and remained in contact with families of affected Singaporeans.

Singapore expands assistance

The new DVI deployment will support Nepal's efforts to identify victims recovered from the flood.

The specialist police officers are expected to assist with the identification of bodies, an increasingly important task as authorities recover victims from downstream areas and work through large numbers of unidentified remains.

Singapore's MFA said Balakrishnan also thanked Khanal for the Nepalese government's assistance with the search for missing Singaporeans.

Khanal expressed Nepal's appreciation for Singapore's assistance, according to the MFA.

Singapore's earlier US$100,000 contribution was made through the Singapore Red Cross fundraising campaign. The Red Cross appeal was launched after the scale of the disaster became clear, with the organisation seeking donations to support communities affected by the floods.

Authorities warn of continuing risks

The disaster response remains complicated by damaged roads, unstable terrain and the possibility of further flooding.

Singapore's MFA had previously warned Singaporeans in Nepal that blockages remained upstream on a river along the Nepal-China border, potentially creating the risk of another flood.

The ministry advised Singaporeans to avoid flood-affected districts including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan, as well as rivers, riverbanks, bridges and low-lying areas.

Nepal's disaster authorities are continuing to collect information from multiple government agencies to establish the full number of people killed, missing and rescued. NDRRMA has acknowledged that the missing-person figures remain subject to change as search and identification operations continue.

The Kathmandu Post reported on Monday that families were still searching hospitals and rescue centres for relatives, while authorities continued efforts to identify victims and reach communities cut off by the floods.