KATHMANDU, Oct 2: Floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall from Thursday to Sunday have caused damages estimated at around Rs 16.5 billion across the country.

Chief Secretary Eaknarayan Aryal shared this information during a press conference at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Tuesday.

Aryal reported that the damage to physical infrastructure includes Rs 3.55 billion to water supply systems, Rs 2.52 billion to road infrastructure, and Rs 4 billion to energy infrastructure. Additionally, preliminary assessments indicate Rs 6 billion in agricultural losses.

The floods have severely affected 21 districts, resulting in 224 fatalities and 24 people are reported missing. Furthermore, 158 individuals were injured, and 4,331 people were rescued via helicopters.

More than Rs 6 billion damage in agriculture sector

The Ministry for Agriculture and Livestock Development released a preliminary report on Tuesday indicating that the heavy rains on Friday and Saturday caused damages worth more than Rs 6 billion to the agricultural sector of the country. According to preliminary information collected by the ministry, the heavy rainfall induced damage primarily in crops, livestock, and fishery.

As per the information officer of the ministry Mahananda Joshi, it will still take time to get complete details of the agricultural damage of disaster incidents across the country. “We have collected preliminary data for now, which is not the final data as details are still being collected from many places," Joshi said. 

According to preliminary information, rice cultivation has been affected the most by the heavy rainfall. At least 58,476 hectares of paddy crops have been destroyed by floods causing damage worth Rs 3.5 billion. The most affected districts have been identified as Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Nawalpur, Baglung, Khotang, Jhapa, Kailali, Lamjung, Parbat, Kaski, Syangja, Sindhuli, Makwanpur and Kavrepalanchowk.

Similarly, 13,000 hectares of cardamom cultivation worth Rs 700 million have been destroyed. Cardamom cultivation has been destroyed the most in Khotang. In addition, sugarcane cultivation worth at least Rs 340 million in an area of ​​85 hectares has been destroyed in districts of Madhesh Province. The preliminary report mentioned that 22 hectares of fruit orchards in districts including Kaski, Nawalparasi East, Kanchanpur and Rautahat were damaged by the heavy rainfall. According to the ministry, 4,743 hectares of vegetable crops have been destroyed in districts including Khotang, Makwanpur, Chitwan, Saptari, Sirha, Dhanusha, Bara, Parsa.

According to the ministry, not only the agricultural crops but also a number of fishery businesses and livestock have suffered huge damages. At least 458 hectares of fish ponds in Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara and Parsa districts have been damaged, amounting to at least Rs 1.013 billion worth of damages. At least 24 livestock farms in districts including Panchthar, Dhankuta and Tehrathum  have been damaged causing the deaths of at least 26,205 livestock and birds. 

More than Rs 2.52 billion worth of damage in roads and bridges

The damages to roads and bridges by the recent floods and landslides is estimated at Rs 2.52 billion. According to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT), at least 21.5 kilometers of roads have been damaged due to disaster incidents induced by heavy rainfall across the country, amounting to an estimated damage of Rs 1.05 billion. 

Similarly, 200 meters of suspension bridges with an estimated worth of Rs 20 million and 410 meters of motorable bridges with an estimated worth of Rs 82 million were damaged. According to the ministry, traffic is blocked at 42 locations on 14 highways. 

 
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