Houses submerged in debris, villages swept off, people running helter-skelter for safety, crying for help and rescue, panic in the air, dozens dead, a number of people still missing. Nature's wrath has dealt us with another cruelty, this time unleashing terror, death and displacement in western districts of Kaski, Myagdi, Baglung and Chitwan. At least 35 people are reported to have been killed in landslides triggered by incessant rain in these districts. Miseries and hardships survivors are facing there cannot be expressed in words. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and call the government to mobilize all available machineries for immediate rescue and relief operations.However, despite several warnings and media alerts, the government preparedness mechanisms do not seem to be active enough. Massive landslides killed 55 people in Taplejung in June. Hilly areas of the country remain extremely prone to landslides and floods in the wake of April 25 earthquake and its powerful aftershocks. Dry landslides were common in various places even before the monsoon. Earthquake created several ruptures and cracks on land surfaces. Landslides, we were told, in the earthquake ravaged districts, are a foregone conclusion. The government team had been mobilized to assess risks, their reports made public with measures to adopt for preparedness. None of these efforts seem to have worked. The fact that even relatively less affected districts like Myagdi, Baglung and Chitwan are witnessing landslides shows that extremely fragile hill districts like Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha, Rasuwa and Dhading are equally under risk. As meteorologists have warned of heavy rainfall in the hilly districts for the next few days, the situation could be even more difficult in the days to come.
Needless to say, the government response to disaster has often been weak and slow. For example, the government managed to relocate only 6,848 families from 14 districts at the risk of landslides during monsoon, although it was supposed to relocate 19,041 families. A number of earthquake victims are living under tents with constant threat of deluge and downpour even today. Reports are prepared after the disasters and they are submitted to government bodies for implementation. Media suggests measures through editorials, geologists and meteorologists raise alarms. But almost every suggestion is forgotten. Once the monsoon recedes and winter sets in, all preparedness and alert programs come to a grinding halt. We need a long break from this disturbing phenomenon. Proactiveness should be the norm in our disaster response. The government has announced Rs 140,000 each in cash relief to families of those killed in Kaski landslides. This is a kind gesture. Personnel from Nepal Army and Nepal Police deserve accolades for their all-out efforts to rescue people. However, we must go beyond these measures. The government needs to develop mechanism to timely warn the people of landslide prone districts. Mapping landslide risks and frequent monitoring of potential landslide sites should start without delay. All that we all can and should do is stay alert and prepared and take every possible measure to save people from natural disasters.
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