Floods isolate vast areas in Nepal as drones join rescue efforts

Ten days after devastating floods struck border regions between Nepal and China, rescue teams are racing against time to find survivors amidst the rubble of homes and destroyed infrastructure. The disaster, which began on August 26, was triggered by the overflowing of the Trishuli River following an avalanche in the Himalayas—an event experts link to the impacts of climate change. In a hopeful development, rescuers managed to pull a Chinese citizen alive from a tunnel buried under debris.

With bridges and roads destroyed, reaching many affected areas remains extremely difficult. According to reports, more than 5,000 people are missing, and families are gathering at military bases in search of news about their loved ones. As helicopters are limited by flight constraints and high costs, Nepali authorities have turned to drones to locate survivors, assess the scale of destruction, and deliver food to isolated communities.

Beyond aid delivery, drone technology is now being utilized to transport the remains of victims from areas inaccessible to ground teams due to terrain and weather conditions. However, the Nepali government has indicated that the scale of the destruction and the vastness of the affected areas exceed the country's current capacity, highlighting an urgent need for further assistance to evacuate and rescue those trapped in isolated regions.