KATHMANDU, Sept 11: Around 150,000 people are estimated to have been directly affected by the devastating Bhotekoshi floods, according to an initial assessment.
Speaking at a meeting of the House of Representatives’ Education, Health and Information Technology Committee on Friday, Health and Food Hygiene Ministry Secretary Dr Bikash Devkota said residents of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and other districts were among those directly affected.
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He said the figures had been collected through provincial governments and various government agencies, but could still change slightly as further information becomes available.
Devkota said the disaster had provided important lessons for the health sector, emphasizing that health facilities and other related infrastructure should henceforth be built as climate-resilient structures.
He also said the ministry was preparing a master plan for post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction, incorporating climate-resilient infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Devkota said 25 people rescued from flood-affected areas and placed in holding centers had developed diarrhea. Apart from these cases, no serious health problems had been reported so far, he said.
