The government has ordered free medical treatment for people injured in the Rasuwa flood. The treatment will be provided through the Ministry of Health and Food Safety, the Nepali Army and government hospitals.

The Cabinet decided at a meeting on Wednesday and expressed sorrow over the loss of life and property caused by the massive flooding of the Bhotekoshi river around Rasuwagadhi and downstream settlements. It paid tribute to those who died and expressed condolences to their families.

Families of those killed will receive financial assistance under existing law, the government said.

The home and defence ministries have been tasked with immediately rescuing injured and stranded people and moving them to safety. The government will deploy the Nepali Army and private helicopters for the operation and has directed the home minister to mobilise all resources needed for the rescue, including helicopters.

The government has also sought assistance from China and India for the flood-affected areas. Government spokesperson Sasmit Pokharel, announcing the Cabinet’s decisions, said the Foreign Ministry was coordinating with both countries to secure assistance.

“We are coordinating with the Chinese and Indian governments through the Foreign Ministry,” he said. “We have been informed that both countries will provide the necessary assistance.”

The Cabinet also ordered authorities to relocate people who have lost their homes to safe areas and arrange food and shelter for them. The Home Ministry, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority and local disaster management committees will coordinate the effort.

The Ministry of Infrastructure Development has been instructed to reopen roads cut off by the floods as soon as possible and ensure adequate drinking water in the affected areas.

The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation and the Nepal Electricity Authority have been directed to restore electricity supplies disrupted by the flooding as quickly as possible. The Ministry of Information and Communication has been tasked with restoring disrupted telecommunications services.

The finance minister has been tasked with coordinating the mobilisation of funds needed to restore and rebuild damaged public buildings and infrastructure.

The Cabinet also decided to declare the local units in the flood-affected districts disaster crisis zones for three months under Section 32 of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2017.