‘Monsoon induced losses, damages increasing’

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Aug. 12: Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak has said that human and physical damages have both increased over the past years during this monsoon season as 48.5 per cent more precipitation than the average has already occurred.

This year, the monsoon entered Nepal on June 10. Since then, up to August 11, 170 people have died and 44 have gone missing, Minister Lekhak briefed the members during a meeting of the Federalism Enablement and National Concerns Committee on Sunday. 

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology had indicated that this year’s monsoon would bring more rainfall than average.

According to Home Minister Lekhak, the higher-than-average rainfall has led to an increase in incidents of monsoon-related disasters such as floods and landslides. 

He said that this year’s monsoon has seen a significant rise in such incidents and the consequent damage. 

Highlighting the increase in monsoon-related incidents compared to previous years, Minister Lekhak mentioned that this time there has been 48.5 per cent more rainfall than average though the monsoon is yet to recede from Nepal.

Since the onset of the monsoon on June 10, 197 people have been injured due to natural disasters.

At the meeting, Home Minister Lekhak provided information that from June 10, 2024 to August 10, 2024, there have been 546 landslide incidents. These incidents have resulted in the deaths of 109 people, with 39 missing and 96 injured.

Home Minister Lekhak also said that 35 people had died, six were missing, and 24 have been injured in 212 flood-related incidents. 

Additionally, according to the government, there has been one death and 22 injuries in 326 incidents of heavy rainfall. He further stated that 24 people have died and 55 have been injured in 128 lightning incidents.

A total of 18,777 security personnel from the army, police, and armed police forces have been deployed for rescue operations related to monsoon-induced disasters this year, he said.