Nepal shifts focus to recovery as flood search and rescue concludes

KATHMANDU - Nepal's government has formally ended search and rescue operations in the aftermath of the devastating floods that struck the country in August, officials announced Monday, marking a shift toward longer-term recovery and rehabilitation efforts.

The decision comes nearly two months after the disaster, which left at least 1,455 people dead and caused widespread destruction across multiple districts. Rescue teams had been conducting operations since the floods began, searching for those unaccounted for in the disaster.

With search and rescue efforts concluded, Nepali authorities are now directing resources toward assisting displaced communities and rebuilding critical infrastructure damaged by the floodwaters. The rehabilitation phase is expected to be lengthy, given the scale of destruction across affected regions.

The government has not yet disclosed the total number of people still missing following the floods. Relief organizations and international agencies have been providing support to affected communities as Nepal transitions from emergency response to recovery mode.

Similar monsoon-driven disasters have become increasingly common in South Asia, with experts warning that climate change and environmental degradation are intensifying the severity of seasonal flooding across the region.