Roads on the Nepali side of the mudslide-hit areas remained severely blocked as of Saturday, hampering rescue efforts after devastating flash floods and mudslides tore through the region on Wednesday.
On the only main road heading north from Kathmandu to the mudslide-hit regions, trucks loaded with relief supplies were racing out. Local resident Shankar, who had just left the hard-hit area, said the route to Nuwakot district had been washed away and buried under silt. A five-story building was left with only its top two floors above ground after the mudslide swept through.
"By now, from here to the mudslide-hit area, up to Trishuli in Nuwakot, the road is still passable. Beyond that, no one can go any further. Only helicopters can get in. Whether on foot or by car, people simply cannot move forward," Shankar said.
Nepali police officer Rajendra, returning to Kathmandu on Saturday night after completing the first phase of his mission in the disaster area, shared his firsthand experience.
"Rescue work is extremely difficult. There is deep mud everywhere. The environment is too harsh. There is nowhere to walk. All roads have been completely washed away, vehicles cannot pass at all, and bridges are broken. We tried to launch rescue immediately after the disaster, but the thick mud blocked us. We cannot even move forward. It is now the rainy season, and with frequent rainfall, more mudslides could occur over time," he said.
As floodwaters receded, a large number of victims' bodies were carried downstream. They are now being transported to medical facilities in Kathmandu and elsewhere for identification and forensic examination. Officials said the process is overwhelming, with bodies badly damaged and cold storage facilities in short supply.
"Because our storage capacity is limited, especially for cold storage facilities, preserving the bodies has become difficult. So, after bodies arrive here, we transfer some to other hospitals as quickly as possible depending on the situation," said Rana, the on-site police chief at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital.
The mudslides have caused heavy casualties and widespread damage to infrastructure in Nepal.
Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said that 734 bodies had been recovered from mudslide-hit areas as of 09:00 local time on Sunday, with 2,498 people still missing.
Roads to mudslide-hit areas still blocked, hamper rescue efforts in Nepal
