Kathmandu: Prime Minister Balendra Shah has said the successful rescue of 64-year-old Chandrika Shrestha from flood-hit Betravati in Vidur-10, Nuwakot, has given hope to the entire country. Shah, in a statement posted on his Facebook page, said a joint rescue team from the Armed Police Force, Nepal and Nepal Police rescued Shrestha from the disaster-affected area. He said the rescue also demonstrated that search and rescue operations remain ongoing despite the difficult conditions.
Shah said many elderly people, including those in Chandrika Shrestha’s age group and older, have already been rescued from flood-affected areas. He recalled how some elderly parents had to flee to higher ground carrying their grandchildren despite their physical limitations.
The devastating Bhotekoshi flood swept away homes, farmland, livestock and belongings accumulated over a lifetime. Shah said some elderly people may have witnessed their children and grandchildren being swept away, while others lost their spouses and were left completely alone.
The flood also damaged the Devighat Senior Citizens Protection and Study Centre in Vidur, Nuwakot. Of the elderly people staying there, seven have been relocated to Nepal Senior Care in Mhaipi, Kathmandu, while 17 have been provided temporary shelter at the Krishnapranami Temple in Inarpati, Nuwakot.
According to Shah, wheelchairs and walkers have been provided to those requiring assistance with mobility. Special teams are also conducting regular health check-ups and providing psychosocial counselling to help reduce the physical and emotional trauma caused by the disaster.
Shah said the government would work to keep temporary accommodation as short as possible and arrange safe permanent housing for the affected elderly people as soon as possible.
“Please do not consider yourselves alone. At this difficult moment in your lives, we will never abandon you. You have the state and the government with you,” Shah said.
He also paid tribute to the elderly people who lost their lives in the floods, describing them as the pillars of their families and important sources of knowledge, culture and experience.
Shah acknowledged that anger among people who have lost relatives is natural, saying their anger is often an expression of profound grief. He urged everyone to listen to affected families with patience and sensitivity and warned against insulting, humiliating or causing additional pain to disaster victims.
The prime minister also praised security personnel who continue searching through mud, debris and devastated areas while putting their own lives at risk. He expressed gratitude for their efforts and called on the public to support their morale.
Shah concluded his message by urging flood-affected elderly people and families to “have faith in us.”
