Nepal has sought specialised technical assistance from foreign countries following the devastating floods along its Himalayan border with China, while maintaining that its own teams are capable of handling general search-and-rescue operations.

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told Reuters that Nepal needs international expertise for highly specialised tasks, including rescuing people trapped inside tunnels, restoring damaged transport and communication links, identifying bodies and conducting DNA testing.

The request comes as the disaster's death toll approaches 600 across Nepal and China's Tibet, with more than 2,400 people still reported missing.

Nepal Seeks Specialised Help

Khanal said Nepal had already requested foreign assistance in areas where the country lacks sufficient technical expertise and specialised equipment.

These include tunnel rescue operations, body identification, DNA testing and preservation of bodies for longer periods.

The minister stressed that seeking specialised technical support does not mean Nepal is unable to conduct its own rescue operations.

Nepali security forces and emergency teams continue to lead general search-and-rescue operations across the affected areas.

India China Asked For Bridges

Nepal has also approached India and China for Bailey bridges to restore transport connectivity in the disaster-hit region.

Around two dozen bridges were reportedly destroyed by the floods, leaving several affected areas difficult to access.

The loss of bridges has created significant challenges for rescue teams attempting to reach isolated communities, hydropower projects and other locations along the affected river valleys.

Restoring temporary crossings is therefore considered essential for moving rescue personnel, food, medicines and other emergency supplies.

Local Teams Lead Rescue

Earlier on Friday, Nepal's Foreign Ministry said the country could manage rescue operations independently for the time being and had declined broader foreign involvement.

Khanal said there was no contradiction between that position and the subsequent requests for specialised assistance.

Nepali teams, he explained, are continuing to handle general rescue work, while foreign technical expertise is being sought for tasks requiring capabilities that are not readily available within the country.

The approach allows Nepal to retain overall control of the emergency response while obtaining assistance in particularly difficult operations.

More Than 2,400 Missing

The humanitarian crisis remains severe.

Rescue teams in Nepal and China are searching for more than 2,400 people reported missing after water, ice, rocks and mud swept through villages and damaged infrastructure.

A total of 586 bodies have been recovered, according to the latest figures cited in the report. Some victims were also carried downstream into India.

Nepal's disaster authority has added 933 hydropower workers to its missing-person list. The list also includes trekkers and pilgrims travelling towards Tibet's Mount Kailash.

The number of missing people could change as rescue teams gain access to areas cut off by damaged roads and bridges.

Families Search For Relatives

The disaster has left families across Nepal waiting anxiously for information.

In Kathmandu, relatives have gathered at hospitals searching for missing family members. Photographs and names of people who remain unaccounted for have been displayed on posters.

The uncertainty has been particularly painful for families who have received no communication from relatives since the floods struck.

With communications damaged in several affected areas, establishing the whereabouts of missing people remains one of the biggest challenges for authorities.

Glacial Collapse Triggered Flood

The disaster was linked to a glacial collapse, according to the US Geological Survey.

The collapse released a huge torrent of ice, rock, mud and water into Himalayan river systems, producing devastating flash floods downstream.

The force of the flood destroyed homes, roads and bridges and severely damaged hydropower infrastructure.

The disaster has been described as Nepal's deadliest natural catastrophe since the 2015 earthquake.

The sudden nature of the flooding also left many communities with little time to evacuate.

New Water Threat Emerges

Rescue operations have been further complicated by the formation of large water bodies created by the massive accumulation of debris.

One such lake has posed a direct threat to rescue teams working in the affected region.

Nepali police reportedly ordered rescuers to move immediately to safer locations after receiving information that another water dam had burst on the Tibetan side.

The warning highlights the continuing danger facing emergency workers even after the initial floodwaters have receded.

What Happens Next

Nepal's immediate priority is to continue searching for missing people while restoring access to communities cut off by destroyed bridges and damaged roads.

Local rescue teams will remain responsible for general search-and-rescue operations, while specialised international assistance is expected to focus on tunnel rescues, infrastructure restoration, forensic identification and DNA testing.

The requests to India and China for Bailey bridges could also help reopen vital transport routes in the disaster-hit Himalayan region.

With hundreds dead, thousands missing and the possibility of further water surges, Nepal's rescue effort remains a race against time. The combination of domestic rescue capabilities and targeted foreign technical assistance could prove crucial as authorities move from immediate evacuation towards a broader recovery operation.