Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The government has intensified the search-and-rescue operation to locate people missing after Wednesday’s devastating floods along the Bhotekoshi River.
According to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the Nepal Army has mobilized specialized teams to search and collect bodies. The Nepal Police and Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal are also involved in the search operation.
An additional 1,200 army personnel have been deployed on Friday along riverbanks from Rasuwa to Chitwan to search for and collect bodies that may have been swept downstream by the flood.
The Nepali Army has deployed teams at potential locations in the affected areas as well as along the banks of the Trishuli and Narayani rivers.
Earlier, the army had mobilized 1,600 personnel for the rescue, relief and temporary management of affected citizens.
With the deployment of an additional 1,200 personnel, the total number of Nepal Army personnel deployed for rescue, relief and body recovery in the Bhotekoshi flood-affected areas and downstream regions has reached 2,800.
Despite the strong river currents and difficult terrain, army teams are conducting continuous searches at potential locations, the Prime Minister’s Secretariat said.
The army has accorded high priority to searching for missing people and collecting and managing bodies when they are found.
As bodies may have been swept downstream from the Bhotekoshi through the Trishuli and into the Narayani River, the army has expanded the search operation to all potential locations along the riverbanks.
Similarly, Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force have mobilized 4,473 and 1,865 personnel, respectively, for search and rescue work.
