484 deaths occurred in 4,555 disaster incidents in 2079

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Apr. 20: At least 484 people died in 4,555 disaster-related incidents from across the country during the Nepali year of 2079 B.S. (April 14, 2022 to April 13, 2023), according to official data.

The disasters also injured 1,043 individuals and affected 7,510 families. Similarly, 37 people went missing and property worth over Rs. 2.859 billion was damaged.

According to the Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), fire was the major killer and destroyer among 15 categories of disasters. In the one-year period, over 66 per cent (3,023 of the 4,555) incidents were related to fire.

The fire incidents killed 109 persons, injured 395 individuals, affected 3,744 families and destroyed property worth over Rs. 2.5 billion.

Fire was followed by landslides with 328 cases. Landslides killed 96 individuals, injured 88 persons and affected 1,987 families. Similarly, 17 people went missing in the landslides that damaged property worth over Rs. 88.12 million.

Similarly, wildlife attack was the third-most reported disaster as 44 individuals died in 295 incidents. Human-animal conflict was followed by lightning.

In 290 cases of lightning reported to the NDRRMA, 84 individuals lost their lives and 238 others were injured.

Wildfire followed lightning with 190 incidents. According to the data, only one person died in forest fire. Officials informed that the damages from the forest fire was not collected in a proper manner by any of the concerned authorities.

There were also 166 cases of heavy rain and 107 cases of storm that killed eight and 10 individuals respectively. 

Meanwhile, 19 people have been missing in 59 flood incidents which also killed and injured 19 and 17 others respectively.

There were also seven incidents of earthquake in which seven persons died, 13 individuals injured and 110 families affected.

Also, 19 people died of snakebite. There were 24 cases of snakebite reported by the NDRRMA.

What’s more, nine persons died and 11 were injured in 16 cases of high altitude; four died, two injured and one went missing in four incidents of boat accident; two died, three went missing and 11 injured in three cases of avalanche; and one died in two incidents of snowfall.

Moreover, 71 people died, one went missing and seven others injured in three other disasters reported during the period.

Representative photograph by the Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.