Floods in Nepal – over 230 victims!

In the last week of September, heavy rains hit Nepal, causing rivers in 44 of the country’s 77 regions to swell dramatically within just 72 hours. The UN is already on the ground, organizing humanitarian aid for the hardest-hit areas. Thousands of families have been left homeless, and infrastructure has also been severely damaged. The unprecedented floods in Nepal raise questions about the lack of preparedness for the disaster.

Record rainfall in Kathmandu

Nepal’s capital experienced the highest recorded rainfall in local meteorological history. The Tribhuvan International Airport’s Rain Measurement Center recorded 239.7 mm of rain per square meter within 24 hours. The previous record from 2002 was 177 mm. Rainfall above 100 mm in a single day was also observed at other stations in the Kathmandu Valley.

The floods in Nepal have affected almost the entire eastern part of the country. Data published by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology shows that as of October 1, there have been 224 confirmed deaths, with over 12,500 people evacuated. Eleven hydropower plants with a total capacity of 625 MW were destroyed, 25 bridges were damaged, and 27 highways were blocked. The floods also devastated 88,000 hectares of rice fields and 4,700 hectares of vegetable crops, while over 26,000 livestock were lost. Initial damage estimates are around 4.35 billion Nepalese rupees.

Unfortunately, by October 3, the death toll in Nepal had risen to 233, with more than 20 people still missing. According to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Home Affairs, over 17,000 people have been evacuated from flood-affected areas. Dramatic rescue scenes were posted on the Nepalese police’s social media profiles.

मकवानपुर जिल्लाको हेटौडा उपहानगरपालिका-४ स्थित असोज १२ गते डुवानमा परेका स्थानीय बासिन्दाहरुको उद्धार गर्दै नं. १४ गण मकवानपुरको सुरक्षा फौज ।#APF_Nepal@hello_sarkar @kpsharmaoli @moha_nepal @PM_nepal_ pic.twitter.com/Vx8CnfohkT

— Armed Police Force, Nepal (@APF_Nepal) October 2, 2024

Were the floods in Nepal ignored?

Deependra Joshi, a national expert on climate change and disasters, criticized the government’s response in an interview with the Indian magazine Down To Earth. He argued that warnings from the Meteorological Department about the threat of heavy rains were ignored, and no preparations were made that could have mitigated the scale of the humanitarian disaster.

Meanwhile, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) emphasized that this year’s floods in Nepal are clearly linked to climate change, and by 2030, the risk of heavy rains and flash floods in Asia will increase significantly. Already this year, rainfall in Kathmandu is 25% higher than the average for the monsoon season. Governments and urban planners should take this into account and plan to increase natural water retention, restore wetlands, and in urban areas, invest in drainage infrastructure, blue-green infrastructure, and permeable surfaces.

Human activity likely contributed to Nepal’s floods. According to climatologist Ngamindra Dahal from the Southasia Institute of Advanced Studies (SIAS), over-exploitation of natural resources and uncontrolled human activity in the center of the country has reduced the protection against monsoons provided by two local mountain ranges. Another expert cited by Down To Earth suggested that available climate data was not properly utilized, and the uncontrolled destruction of riverbanks combined with river regulation worsened the effects of the floods in Nepal.

The situation is very difficult

Azmat Ulla, the head of the Red Cross in Nepal, warned on Tuesday about the challenges in delivering drinking water to the affected population and the potential for waterborne diseases such as dengue fever. Efforts are still underway to clear highways blocked by mud and rocks that cut off the capital from the eastern part of the country. Travelers trapped on the roads had to walk in terrible conditions for up to 16 hours to reach safety.

In many regions, the water overturned houses and triggered mudslides that buried entire villages and towns. In the city of Panauti alone, 500 homes were completely destroyed, and more than 700 were severely damaged. The government has already announced compensation for the families of flood victims in Nepal and payments for temporary housing—currently, many families are sheltering in tents.

Main photo: Skanda Gautam