From September 27 to September 28, for 48 hours, continuous rainfall caused havoc in eastern and central Nepal with the Kathmandu Valley receiving half of its average annual rainfall in under two days. The capital city was cut off as all the connecting highways were blocked with over sixty road obstructions throughout the country. More than 200 people succumbed to the flash floods just as the country was preparing for festive celebrations. Despite multiple warnings from government agencies, the aftermath unveiled a lack of preparation for mitigating the consequences of the ill-fated event. This catastrophe further revealed frailty in Nepal’s disaster preparedness and underscored lessons for similar future events.
Monsoon rains are a natural phenomenon crucial to rejuvenating nature and supporting agrarian Nepal. However, the unexpected patterns of rainfall in recent years have resulted in more damage than delight. The recent flood is the third time in just a few months that Nepal has made global headlines due to monsoon-related disasters, following the tragic bus plunge in Simtal and the glacial lake outburst in Thame. Nepal has faced severe water-induced disasters this year, including the devastating Kanchanpur floods. There were several reasons for the escalation in the damage caused by the recent deluge. First, admonitions were not heard, despite the red warning for the heaviest rainfall from the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, things were business as usual. Vehicles were running on all major highways, several events including those of the government were planned, and people were traveling freely out of their homes. Second, experts had warned that flash floods in Kathmandu had been building up for several years but there was no action. The recent devastation demonstrated the severe encroachment on the waterways of small and big rivers within the Kathmandu Valley.
The amplification of loss was also partly caused by faulty construction by unscrupulous contractors. This was evident in Koshi province, where the shoddy bridges, some of which had taken a decade to build, were swept away by rushing rivers. There has been an estimated NPR 17 billion (USD 126 million) loss of properties and vital infrastructures like bridges, hydropower projects, and roads. These damages will lead to a sharp rise in government spending and hinder the government’s goal of achieving 6% economic growth for this fiscal year.
The recent deluge unveiled the scale and intensity of damage that a disaster can unfold. In Nepal, it became more pronounced, as people tend to rely more on themselves than on the government. In this context, the current disaster preparedness mechanism requires a thorough review by relevant authorities, including the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). Aside from posting a notice on its website, NDRRMA made little effort toward prevention. The government leadership’s lack of urgency was evident, as the prime minister was criticized for not cutting short his trip to the U.S. in response to the national disaster.
On a positive note, netizens demonstrated solidarity during the floods by sharing emergency hotlines, collecting funds, and assisting affected individuals. Many community clubs including the Rotaract club that I am involved collaborated with other like-minded organizations to quickly reach out to the victims. As in other disasters, the swift response for rescue and rehabilitation by the army and police was commendable. In hindsight, the flood was also a stark reminder of nature’s encroachment by human beings. Furthermore, in a continued show of goodwill toward the Nepali people, several countries, including India, China, and the UK, extended their support to Nepal during this challenging time.
At a personal level, key lessons for everyone were to observe basic precautionary measures, such as not traveling, staying home, and following common sense such as not going to see the overflowing river! Another issue underscored by the recent flash flood is the shifting rainfall patterns attributed to climate change, particularly evident in the Himalayan region. At the government level, the focus should be more on preventing these disasters rather than mourning for days. Moving forward, taking warnings seriously and implementing disaster resilience measures will help reduce the impact of future calamities.
Sagar Jung Karki works as beed at beed management, having previously interned at the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS). His core areas of interest include international business, trade, entrepreneurship, and digitalization. He holds an MSc in International Business from the University of the West of England. As a global-minded individual, Sagar aspires to become a pracademic, contributing positively to the world.
