Situation Update on Effects of Flooding and Responses of State Authorities in Nepal

Date: 30-07-2020

Background

Incessant rains have caused flooding and landslides across the country killing dozens of people and displacing hundreds of people across the country. Floods and landslides have thus aggravated the misery of people of the country who are already battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

Almost all districts of Terai/Madhes have been badly affected by recent flooding. Floods swept several houses/huts and cattles[1], damaged roads caused disruption in people’s mobility.[2] Hundreds of people have been displaced due to the recent flooding. Some families lost their food grains.

As per the Disaster Risk Reduction in Nepal: Status Report 2019, Nepal is prone to natural disasters and human-induced hazards. Floods kill nearly 150 people in Nepal every year. In the last nine years, 800 people have died due to floods and another 900 due to landslides, while more than 700 people are in the lists of missing people.[3]

Similarly, Province-2 also suffers from flood related incidents.

Last year more than 40 people died due to floods in province-2 while more than 15,000 houses were destroyed.[4]

This season’s monsoon started from June 12 in the country. Data compiled by Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority as of July 28 shows that floods and landslides killed 132 people (129 people were killed by landslide and three were swept by the floods), while 50 persons are still missing and 119 persons are injured.[5] Media reported that as of 23^rd July, 998 families have been affected due to rains, landslides and floods. [6]

Consequences of Flood in Province-2

THRD Alliance’s monitoring found that two persons died due to flood while one person is still missing in Mahottari. Floods killed two persons in Sarlahi district.

Houses damaged: As per the data of Nepal Red Cross Society (July 24), a total of 1,000 displaced persons from Satpari’s Hanuman Nagar Kankalini Municipality have been living by roadside.[7] Similarly, data collected from Nepal Red Cross Society (on July 29) via email shows that floods that hit Saptari district on July 20 affected 350 families and displaced 190 persons, in Chhinnamasta Rural Municipality-1 and Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality-1. Over 350 people were also affected by the flood on July 22 in Hanumannagar Kanalini Municipality’s Ward No 7, 12 and 14. Floods displaced 190 people in these places.

On July 20, incessant rain submerged dozens of houses and government offices in Malangawa, headquarters of Sarlahi district. Marginalized dalits were hardest hit by the floods.[8]

Similarly, more than 90 houses were submerged when Khado River water flooded Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality, Saptari district on July 13. Local entrepreneurs also suffered losses their shops were affected.[9]

Floods destroyed houses in Dakneshwor Municipality, Mahadev Rural Municipality and Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality. Houses of Bhuwan Ram, Ramchandra Ram and Pawan Ram in Mahadev Rural Municipality-1 were damaged on July 15. At least 10 family members of Bhuwan, seven family members of Ramchandra and five family members of Pawan have been displaced. Similarly, a bamboo hut of Mahanthi Devi, 75, was damaged in Dakneshwor Municipality-3.[10]

THRD Alliance’s monitoring found that 10 Muslim families residing by river side in Aaurahi Municipality-2 in Mahottari district were forced stay at home during the lockdown. These daily wagers had hard time managing two meals a day. Recent flooding displaced them.

On July 11, most parts of Janakpurdham city, including the provincial hospital, were submerged.[11]

Incessant rains that lashed Bara for five consecutive days damaged crops in 100 of acres of farm land in the district. Floods caused by rising level of water in Bangari River and Kirkichaha River damaged paddy in more than 300 acres of land in Bara.[12]

On July 12, at least 27 houses in Malangawa Municipality in Sarlahi district submerged and five houses were destroyed. At least 147 persons have been displaced. Similarly, Sitaram Mahato’s nine family members have been taking shelters at neighbours houses after his house in Ishworpur Municipality-9 in Sarlahi was submerged. Likewise, Bijay Das’ house in Ishworpur Municipality-15 completely destroyed due to incessant rain.[13]

Province-2 Government’s monitoring found that property worth Rs 3 million destroyed in Rautahat after dam of Lalbakaiya and Bagmati Rivers were damaged. Ministry for Law and Internal Affairs informed that Rs 2 million has been allotted to repair the dams.[14]

Road disruptions: On July 21 transportation was disrupted on Jaleshwor-Ramgopalpur-Bardibas, Bardibas-Rauja-Jaleshwor and Samsi-Ramgopalpur-Loharpatti-Janakpurdham road sections as heavy rains lashed the area.[15]

Likewise, vehicle movement was disrupted on East-West Mahendra Highway from July 21 after around 25 meters of roads of Amalekhganj section in Bara district was damaged. Similarly, dozens of rural municipalities including district headquarters of Bara were submerged.[16]

Since, most of the roads have been destroyed or blocked and vehicle movements have been disrupted, essential supplies have been disturbed. Daily wagers who were forced to stay at home during the lockdown, are facing difficulties to earn their livelihood as they are unable to venture out of their place due to incessant rain and floodings.

Responses of state authority

On July 11, a meeting of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management National Council, which is led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, decided to carry out rescue, relief and rehabilitation work for people affected by natural disasters.[17] The meeting also decided to rehabilitate disaster victims in schools and other public buildings.

On July 11, Province-2 Government also on announced that it was all prepared to tackle the flood and its consequences. The government, during the meeting of Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, instructed security agencies to remain alert. It also said that materials required for rescue operations were distributed to the security agencies, while helicopters would be put on standby.[18] Local bodies also came up with plans and started rescue operations.

However, such preparations and announcements of rescue operations came at the time when the country had already been hit by the landslides and floods causing severe damages.

At the same time, THRD Alliance’s monitoring in various districts and local levels found that the state authorities (local, provincial and federal governments) have not shown urgency in the rescue, relief and rehabilitation work.

Recommendations

Based on the monitoring and observation, THRD Alliance came up with following recommendations for the state authorities:

-The local, provincial and federal governments need to work in collaboration with one another for rescue, rehabilitation and relief work.

-The three-tier government should also ensure people’s unhindered access to essential supplies in times of disasters.

-Rehabilitation centres created for the people displaced due to heavy rain and floods should have basic facilities such as healthy food, clean drinking water, toiletries for the disaster-hit people, and physical distance should be maintain to prevent the possible spread of COVID-19 infections in those centres.

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REFERENCES:

[1] https://ekantipur.com/pradesh-2/2020/07/22/159542173616242775.html

[2] https://www.nayapatrikadaily.com/news-details/47008/2020-07-10

[3] https://kathmandupost.com/national/2020/07/17/despite-tackling-disasters-every-monsoon-nepal-fails-to-learn-from-experience

[4] https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2020/07/880879

[5] http://drrportal.gov.np/document/documentdetail/1566

[6] https://www.timesnownews.com/international/article/heavy-rains-trigger-landslides-and-flash-floods-in-nepal-at-least-132-people-dead/626388

[7] https://nrcs.org/nrcs-ira-report-monsoon-2020/

[8] https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2020/07/882975

[9] https://ekantipur.com/pradesh-2/2020/07/13/15946420148825922.html

[10] https://www.onlinekhabar.com/2020/07/881813