KATHMANDU, Jan 17: At least 679 people across the country have lost their lives due to disasters that struck the country in the first nine months of the Nepali year of 2081 BS.
According to the data of the National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, around 6,424 disaster incidents were recorded in these nine months from Baisakh to Poush (from mid-April to mid-May to mid-Dec to mid-Jan).
According to the NEOC’s data, 679 people died, 66 people went missing and 1,323 people were injured in incidents such as floods, landslides, heavy rains, fires, lightning, avalanches, and animal attacks.
In the nine months, 16,456 families were affected by disasters since the beginning of the year 2081 BS. The disaster caused partial damage to 7,340 houses and complete damage to 3,536 houses. According to the NEOC, 71 bridges were damaged due to the disasters.
Similarly, 1,083 sheds were damaged by the disasters and 7,722 animals died. In the past nine months, disasters have caused a total financial loss of more than Rs 48.99 billion.
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The people who lost their lives to disasters includes 83 in Kavrepalanchok; 52 in Lalitpur; 44 in Kathmandu; 43 in Dhading; 38 in Chitwan; 21 in Baglung; 18 in Dang; 15 in Kaski; 14 in Makwanpur; 13 in Rolpa; 13 in Kanchanpur; 12 in Kailali; 11 in Gulmi; 11 in Bardiya; 10 in Panchthar; 10 in Jhapa; 10 in Morang; 10 in Sindhupalchok and 10 in Syangja.
Similarly, 37 people have gone missing in Chitwan, six in Kavrepalanchowk, five in Lalitpur and three in Panchthar. In the year 2081, the monsoon disaster caused a significant loss of human wealth in Nepal.
According to the data of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), in this year's monsoon (from June 10 to October 12, 2024), only 495 people died, 66 people went missing and 522 people were injured due to monsoon-related disasters. The number of directly affected families is 10,823.
During the monsoon period of last year (2080), 92 people died, 30 were missing and 168 were injured. Similarly, 6,128 families were directly affected by monsoon disasters. After the increase in monsoon disasters in 2081, the government declared 71 local units of 20 districts as disaster-affected areas for three months.
In the 77-year history since the beginning of rain measurement in Nepal, the highest rainfall record on a single day was in 2081 BS. Nepal recorded 624 millimeters (mm) of rainfall in a 24-hour period at the rain measuring center in Dodhara Chandani, Kanchanpur.
At the end of the monsoon, from September 26 to 29, 2024, incessant and continuous rains caused great loss of human wealth. In three days of heavy rainfall, 250 people lost their lives, 18 went missing, and 178 were injured. The most significant damage was caused in Bagmati Province.
The three days of rain caused billions in damage. According to the preliminary damage and loss assessment prepared by the NDRRMA, the rain that occurred over three days in the month of Ashoj resulted in economic damage of over 46.88 billion.
According to the preliminary assessment of the NDRRMA, physical infrastructure including roads, bridges and hydropower worth Rs 38.92 billion, followed by agriculture and livestock worth Rs 5.88 billion were damaged. Similarly, the education sector reported damage worth Rs 72 million, health sector Rs 21.7 million and the irrigation sector incurred damage worth Rs 1.35 billion.
Due to floods and landslides, 41 road sections were damaged and it is seen that it will cost Rs 25 billion to completely repair those roads. The floods and landslides affected 26 hydropower projects across the country, causing damage worth Rs 3.180 billion to hydropower projects. Similarly, floods and landslides damaged 44 bridges, due to which there was an economic loss of Rs 1.420 billion.
The floods and landslides caused economic damage worth Rs 151.82 million in the telecommunications sector, affecting 302 telecommunication units across the country. In addition, floods and landslides caused damage to 84 public transportation vehicles. The damage to public transportation resulted in a financial loss of Rs 729.88 million.
Furthermore, floods, landslides and inundation damaged Rs 65,084 hectares of arable land and 26,205 livestock were affected. As seven irrigation projects were affected by floods and landslides, there was a loss equal to Rs 1.35 billion.
