Nepal appeals to the international community: We need $5 billion for reconstruction

Nepal has announced it will need approximately $5 billion to repair the damage caused by the recent catastrophic floods. Nepal’s Finance Minister, Swarnim Wagle, said yesterday that his country “needs between $4 and $5 billion for reconstruction in the wake of the devastating floods that struck its border areas last week.” He added, “This is only a preliminary estimate. The damage and loss assessment process is still ongoing.”

For his part, Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Chisir Khanal, said the cost of rebuilding the areas and infrastructure destroyed by the floods could reach “several billion dollars.” He stated, “We will conduct a damage and loss assessment, and then we will organize our efforts. I appeal to the international community to provide us with support.” He continued, “At present, the priority remains relief efforts and saving as many lives as possible,” adding, “But we also need resources related to forensic medicine to identify victims through DNA samples.”

In this context, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said a package of emergency cash assistance and humanitarian aid is being prepared for delivery to Nepal. China’s Ministry of Emergency Management also announced it would send tunnel experts to Nepal to support rescue operations in a tunnel at a hydropower plant site, at the request of the Nepalese government.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union would provide €2 million in emergency aid to Nepal following the catastrophic floods. Von der Leyen said on her official account on the X platform that these funds would secure “vital assistance for the most affected families and communities.”

This came as Nepal’s National Disaster Management Authority announced that the death toll from the devastating floods triggered by landslides had risen to at least 700, with more than 2,426 people missing. Meanwhile, rescue personnel are intensifying their efforts to search for the missing and evacuate survivors stranded on the Nepal-China border, where the catastrophic floods have destroyed homes, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. More than 80 rescuers are still trying to reach a tunnel at the construction site of the Trishuli-3 dam, where about 100 people are reportedly trapped.