US Lawmakers Call for Greater Nepal Relief, DART Deployment and 4-5 Billion dollar in Reconstruction Aid

A group of US lawmakers has urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to expand Washington’s emergency response to the devastating floods in Nepal, calling for the deployment of a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), additional humanitarian assistance and preparations for a major reconstruction programme. The lawmakers asked the US State Department to make use of every available resource to support search-and-rescue operations and help ensure the safety and recovery of American citizens and other people affected by the disaster.

The appeal comes as Nepal continues to deal with the enormous loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the floods. According to the latest update from Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the death toll had climbed to 1,294 by 6:30 pm Friday. Rescue teams were continuing to recover bodies from several affected districts.

Chitwan reported the highest number of casualties at 359, followed by Nawalparasi East with 221, Nawalparasi West with 212, Nuwakot with 184 and Rasuwa with 140. Authorities said 96 bodies had been handed over to their families. More than 13,000 people have been rescued through combined ground and air operations, with approximately 21,421 personnel from the Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force taking part in the emergency response, according to the NDRRMA.

The US lawmakers have specifically called for a Disaster Assistance Response Team to be sent to communities affected by the flooding. DART teams are designed to provide specialised assistance in areas such as search and rescue, medical operations and logistics during major disasters. The lawmakers said the unprecedented scale of the catastrophe justified deploying such a team as quickly as possible.

They also encouraged Washington to make greater use of American technological capabilities to assist Nepal’s rescue operations. They highlighted the potential role of high-altitude surveillance assets, thermal and infrared drones, satellite imagery and other aerial monitoring systems in locating missing people and giving rescue teams more accurate information about conditions on the ground.

The lawmakers urged the State Department to coordinate with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and US Department of Defence agencies to securely share relevant satellite and aerial imagery with Nepalese authorities, humanitarian organisations and first responders. They also suggested working with commercial satellite companies and exploring the use of phone-location data to help identify the whereabouts of missing individuals.

The number of people still unaccounted for has also raised serious concern. NDRRMA figures put the number of missing people at around 5,053, including 2,130 in Rasuwa and 2,340 in Nuwakot. The figure also includes 583 foreign nationals. Authorities have cautioned that the number could change because some recovered bodies may not yet have been identified. The lawmakers asked the State Department to provide regular updates to families of missing Americans and Congress. They also called for adequately staffed consular hotlines and assistance with the repatriation of US citizens and their relatives affected by the disaster.

The humanitarian situation remains critical, with 4,627 displaced residents taking shelter in 37 holding centres across Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading. Another 5,663 injured people were receiving treatment at field and regional hospitals, according to the NDRRMA. The floods have caused extensive damage to homes and critical infrastructure. Initial assessments recorded damage to 7,570 private houses, directly affecting an estimated 32,963 people. Authorities have also reported damage to 55 kilometres of roads, 37 motorable bridges and 68 suspension bridges. In addition, 48 government buildings, 18 schools and seven health facilities have suffered damage.

The lawmakers acknowledged the emergency assistance already announced by Washington. The United States has provided USD 500,000 through a State Department global award involving Catholic Relief Services for emergency shelter, relief supplies and water, sanitation and hygiene support. They also cited USD 3.6 million in humanitarian assistance announced on August 29.

The lawmakers said the scale of the disaster warranted a considerably larger US response. They called for additional International Disaster Assistance funding to support search-and-rescue operations as well as urgent requirements such as food, water and sanitation services and transportation. They also urged Washington to work closely with Nepalese authorities, China and other international partners to ensure humanitarian organisations can access communities that remain difficult to reach because of the destruction.

The lawmakers stressed that Nepal’s recovery would not end once the immediate rescue operation is completed. Citing Nepal’s Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle, they said reconstruction costs could eventually reach between USD 4 billion and USD 5 billion, an amount equivalent to almost one-tenth of the country’s economy. They called on the State Department to begin preparing significant long-term reconstruction assistance aimed at rebuilding communities, strengthening infrastructure against future disasters and supporting economic development in the worst-affected regions.

Nepal has already received international assistance from several countries and organisations, including the United Kingdom, South Korea, India, China, the Red Cross of China, the World Bank, the United Nations and various non-governmental organisations. The letter, signed by 30 members of Congress, urged the State Department to play a leading role in the search-and-rescue effort, help locate missing American citizens and support Nepal’s long-term recovery. The signatories included Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Suhas Subramanyam, Yvette D Clarke, Jasmine Crockett, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal, Shri Thanedar, James P McGovern, Robert Garcia, Jan Schakowsky, Jennifer L McClellan, Sarah Elfreth, Yassamin Ansari, Judy Chu and James R Walkinshaw, among others.

The appeal comes as Nepal faces one of its most serious disaster-response challenges, with emergency teams continuing rescue operations while authorities and international partners prepare for the much longer task of helping displaced communities recover and rebuilding infrastructure damaged by the floods.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.