'For Now, We Don't Require Such Help': Nepal Declines Foreign Rescue Offers As Death Toll Nears 500

Nepal Flash Floods: Nepal on Friday declined offers of foreign search and rescue teams following the devastating flash floods that have killed hundreds and left more than a thousand people missing. Kathmandu asserted that its own security agencies are capable of handling the ongoing rescue and relief operations, even as several countries, including the US, the UK, India, China and Japan have offered assistance.

Why Did Nepal Decline Aid Offer?

Nepal’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Chhetri said offers of assistance were natural, but Nepal did not require foreign rescue teams at present. “The offer for help is natural. Our security agencies are doing the search and rescue operation. For now, we don’t require such help,” Chhetri said as quoted by Reuters.

UK Offers Emergency Responders

Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has offered 5 million pounds and emergency responders to support Nepal after the floods claimed hundreds of lives. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham described the situation as “devastating” and said the UK had already deployed consular support staff to the affected area to provide round-the-clock assistance to British nationals.

Trump Offers ‘Any Help’ Nepal Needs

Earlier, US President Donald Trump also said Washington had offered Nepal “any help that they need” following the floods in Rasuwa district. He said the US had been in contact with Nepalese leadership and was also working to locate American citizens reported missing. Describing the disaster, Trump said the flooding involved a powerful mixture of “mud and water” and caused severe destruction.

VIDEO | On Nepal flash floods, US President Donald Trump (@POTUS) says, "We've called Nepal, and we've offered any help that they need. We have a very good relationship with Nepal, and that was brutal... Nobody's ever seen anything quite like that... strong, well-built buildings… pic.twitter.com/sID3GL1xxK

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 28, 2026

ALSO READ: From Glacier Collapse To 'Liquid Concrete': How Nepal Flash Floods Turned Catastrophic

Nepal Turns Down Multiple Foreign Rescue Offers

Notably, India, China, the US, UK, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh had offered to send rescue teams or aid. Nepal has so far declined foreign rescue teams, saying its own security forces can carry out the search and rescue operation. Meanwhile, the decision has also been linked to Nepal’s experience during the 2015 disaster, with the government seeking to rely on its own security agencies to manage the current rescue and relief efforts.

Speaking to The Kathmandu Post, a senior Nepalese foreign ministry official said while the disaster brought a massive international response, managing the large number of foreign teams created had serious logistical and administrative pressure.

#WATCH | Nuwakot, Nepal: Rescue operations are being carried out at a rapid pace using helicopters. People affected by the floods are being brought to safe places from the affected areas.

Rescue team members are also being sent by helicopter to the flood-affected areas. pic.twitter.com/hggCaCkJyu

— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2026

Nepal Floods Death Toll

According to latest by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the death toll from flash floods has risen to 469, while 977 people remain missing. The missing include 28 Nepal Police personnel, 45 Nepal Army personnel, 13 Armed Police Force personnel, 15 customs officials, four immigration officials, 161 people from Rasuwa, one person from Nuwakot, 66 people from Makwanpur, 517 foreign nationals and 127 Nepali citizens living abroad. A total of 3,253 people have been rescued so far.

ALSO READ: From Glacier Collapse To 'Liquid Concrete': How Nepal Flash Floods Turned Catastrophic

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