Nepal's government has reversed its earlier decision to refuse assistance from other countries in rescue operations following devastating floods that killed hundreds of people, amid "pressure" from other countries.
Nepal's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Lok Bahadur Chhetri, said that Nepal did not need foreign assistance for search and rescue operations following the flash flood disaster.
We are under immense pressure from the international community to allow at least a search and rescue team and some experts, as their citizens are also missing in the floods. We are allowing a limited number of experts in certain areas.
Nepal's Foreign Minister, Shisir Khanal, told the newspaper that foreign experts would help local rescue teams identify the bodies so authorities could hand them back to the families quickly.
Previously, the United Nations (UN), the European Union, and several countries had provided financial assistance to Nepal amidst the damage caused by the massive floods.
A very strong current of water flowed down the Bhote Koshi River in the mountainous region of Nepal.
The cause of the massive flooding was initially reported as an earthquake and subsequent landslides.
However, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) stated that the seismic activity was caused by the collapse of a glacier, not by underground vibrations.
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