When the Bhotekoshi turned violent, the Nepal Army Rangers did not wait for the river to calm. They moved.
Within a short time, a standby team of Rangers and Special Forces was mobilised from the airport through helicopter operations for specialised rescue. At Trishuli, a 40–50-strong Ranger team was deployed as the flood tore through the area, evacuating those stranded and searching for those who could not be reached in time.
They went where the flood had left almost no easy way in, through unstable terrain, powerful currents and places where reaching the trapped meant putting themselves in danger. In one of the most demanding operations, Rangers entered the Upper Trishuli hydropower tunnel, helping evacuate 350 people who had been trapped inside. Hundreds have already been brought to safety, while the rescue and recovery operation continues.
This is the kind of work Nepal Army Rangers are trained for. Rangers are specially trained soldiers prepared to operate in some of the country's most difficult and dangerous environments. Their training extends beyond conventional military operations, equipping them for specialised tasks such as swift-water rescue, air rescue, high-angle and high-altitude operations, and search and rescue in collapsed structures. When emergencies unfold in difficult terrain or require specialised skills, Rangers can be deployed where ordinary access may not be possible.
But specialised training does not make the work easy.
The Bhotekoshi has presented difficult weather, unstable ground and powerful currents, making every movement more challenging. Rangers have worked to evacuate those stranded while continuing searches for those who remain missing. They have entered areas where conditions can change within moments, carrying out rescue and recovery work in an environment that continues to pose serious risks.
It is also worth remembering what rescue really means. Rescue is not a single moment when someone is pulled to safety and the work is over. It is a process. It begins with reaching the affected area, assessing what has happened and identifying who needs help. It can involve evacuating survivors, searching difficult terrain, providing immediate assistance, recovering those who have died and continuing the search for people who remain unaccounted for. Each stage takes time, coordination and careful decisions, especially when the conditions themselves remain dangerous.
That is why the work happening around the Bhotekoshi cannot be measured only by the number of people brought out in a single operation. Every search, every evacuation and every difficult journey into an affected area is part of a larger effort to bring people to safety and help communities recover.
The Rangers are one part of a much larger response involving different agencies, local communities and individuals working to protect those affected by the floods. Their specialised training, however, allows them to take on some of the most difficult aspects of the operation, particularly where terrain, water or access make rescue especially challenging.
The Bhotekoshi has not made this work easy. Yet the Rangers have continued to respond, search and assist wherever they are needed.
To every Ranger involved in the ongoing operation, your work is seen and deeply appreciated. The hours, risks and effort behind every evacuation and every search matter, not only as part of a rescue operation, but to the families whose lives have been affected by this disaster.
As the rescue and recovery efforts continue, so does their work.
