KATHMANDU, Oct 3: A total of 92 people died in 459 disaster-related incidents in Madhesh Province over the past two months.
According to the Madhesh Province Police Office in Janakpurdham, the 92 fatalities recorded between mid-July and mid-September of the current Fiscal Year (FY) include 47 men, 19 women and 26 children. More than 500 families were affected by these incidents.
The incidents involved fires, floods, lightning strikes, electrocution, drowning, wild animal attacks and inundation. In addition to the loss of life, the disasters caused damage to houses, livestock and other physical infrastructure.
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Electrocution accounted for the largest number of fatalities. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Prabhu Prasad Dhakal, spokesperson for the Madhesh Province Police Office, said 39 people died from electrocution during the two-month period.
Similarly, 29 people died from drowning. Police reported five deaths from wild animal attacks, three from lightning strikes and one from fire. Another 13 people lost their lives in various other disaster-related incidents.
According to police, a significant number of the deceased were children. Children were among the victims of floods, inundation and drowning, as well as electrocution and other hazardous incidents.
Police records show that the risks of floods and inundation increase in Madhesh during the monsoon season. Along with rising water levels in streams and rivers, fatalities also occur due to drowning in ponds, pits and other water bodies in rural areas.
According to the Provincial Police Office, 112 fire incidents occurred during the two-month period, resulting in significant property losses. Similarly, there were 107 incidents of electrocution, 37 cases of drowning, 32 wild animal attacks, 12 flood incidents and 10 lightning strikes.
SSP Dhakal said that although the number of fire and electrocution incidents is notably high, precautionary measures and public awareness can play a crucial role in minimizing casualties.
Data from the Madhesh Province Police Office shows that the 459 disaster-related incidents caused physical damage amounting to Rs 29.24 million. Fire incidents alone destroyed the homes of 212 families, with property damage from fires totaling Rs 27.01 million.
