Bollywood actor Sonu Sood has visited one of the areas worst affected by the devastating floods in Nepal, meeting residents and calling for continued support as the country’s death toll rose to 1,127.
The Dabangg actor travelled to Trishuli Bazar on Tuesday to see the destruction first-hand and speak to families affected by the disaster.
Sood, who is known for his humanitarian work, said recovery would require sustained assistance rather than short-term relief.
“I hope that we are all able to bring some aid for the people of Nepal so that Nepal can again stand back on their feet,” he told ANI.
The actor also praised the Indian government’s response and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the assistance provided to Nepal.
“The kind of help that has been provided to Nepal, it’s commendable and I think we should keep on continuing sending this aid because they need it,” he said.
After meeting affected families, Sood said the scale of destruction made it clear that recovery would take time.
“When I meet those families, I know that it’s not going to get resolved in couple of weeks or months. It’s something that we have to keep on sending, continuing our support and I think that’s the only way we can get them back to their normal lives,” he added.
Death toll rises
The death toll from the floods rose to 1,127 on Wednesday, according to Nepal Police, as search and rescue operations continued across the affected regions. Another 4,858 people were reported missing.
Police said bodies had been recovered across several districts, including 45 in Rasuwa, 155 in Nuwakot, 59 in Dhading, 348 in Chitwan, 66 in Gorkha, 38 in Tanahun, 217 in Nawalparasi East and 190 in Nawalparasi West. Nine bodies were also recovered in India.
Of the bodies recovered, 95 had been handed over to relatives following identification, while details of hundreds of unidentified victims have been published to help families searching for missing loved ones.
Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah earlier said unidentified bodies were being handled according to legal and scientific procedures, with DNA samples and other evidence preserved to allow identification at a later stage.
International rescue teams deployed
International assistance has also been mobilised as rescuers continue searching damaged hydropower sites.
Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said specialised tunnel rescue teams from India and China were working alongside the Nepali Army. Indian teams have been deployed at the Chilime and Langtang hydropower sites, while a Chinese team is working at the Upper Trishuli 3A project. A South Korean team has also joined the international response.
More than 21,000 personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been involved in search, rescue, evacuation and relief operations, according to the ministry.
The floods were triggered by an ice and rock avalanche in the Himalayan region on August 26, sending a massive surge of water and debris through communities along the Bhote Koshi river system and damaging homes, roads, bridges and hydropower infrastructure.
Source: Khaleej Times