Accurate Forecasts, No Timely Response

The torrential rains that lashed the several parts of the country from last Thursday to Saturday caused extensive damage through floods, landslides, and inundation, resulting in loss of life and destruction of public and private property. The total death toll, as stated in a government report, reached 170, with 42 people gone missing.

The failure of authorities to respond promptly resulted in over 35 tragic fatalities in Dhading’s Jhyaple Khola as falling debris dumped on stranded buses. The Jhyaple Khola tragedy, along with other fatalities, could have been averted if our authorities had acted in time. Despite issuing directives to halt long-distance travel for that specific period, the authorities failed in adequately enforcing the directives as vehicles operated against the order, which demonstrated a lack of accountability and dedication on the part of all stakeholders. Months ago, two buses, filled with passengers, were swept away by falling debris in Simaltal at the Mugling-Narayanghat Highway. Despite extensive efforts over several weeks, the buses that fell into the swollen Trishuli River, resulting in the loss of all passengers, could not be located.

Severe floods

The Kathmandu Valley experienced severe floods and inundation during last week’s heavy rains, resulting in loss of life and property damage. The Bagamati River overflowed after reaching a historic level not seen in decades. Inundation of houses and properties in low-lying areas across the Valley was a common occurrence. Swollen rivers and rivulets such as the Bishnumati, Hanumante, and Manohara, Nakkhu, and others also wreaked havoc in the lives of common people. Expensive housing areas, restaurants, resorts, hospitals, and other properties were submerged, causing the loss of millions of rupees. After the occurrence of these events in the Valley, the seat of federal government, one can only speculate about the situation elsewhere.

Following the widespread rain-havoc, important roads and highways linking Kathmandu and other parts of Nepal have remained blocked for almost two days. This led to another problem for many Nepalis: the cost of everyday items increased in Kathmandu and other cities, and people who needed to travel to celebrate the biggest Nepali festival — Dashain — were unable to do so. If our highways and roads were designed to withstand disasters, they wouldn’t be facing this situation.

The massive destruction that occurred across the nation affected public infrastructure such as roads, transmission lines, bridges, and people’s homes, and it once again highlighted Nepal’s vulnerability to climate-induced disasters, catching the nation off guard. Sadly, early warnings about the imminent devastation were received by the nation, yet authorities did not take timely action. Authorities faced criticism for their delayed response, which came only after numerous lives were lost in Kathmandu and other areas.

The Meteorological Forecasting Division (MFD) has improved its accuracy by accurately predicting extreme rainfall dates and districts and issuing its warnings in advance. However, the lack of action following these warnings made the havoc more tragic for many. Meanwhile, this year, the rainy season began earlier than expected. The disaster was caused by continuous, record-breaking downpour in the Valley even during late September, which is unusual. The Tribhuvan International Airport saw its highest rainfall in 22 years, reaching 239.7 mm within 24 hours. Unprecedented rainfall affected Kavre and Makawanpur and other districts in Madhes province, causing severe consequences for communities residing in vulnerable areas such as hills, mountains, near riverbanks, and other low-lying regions. Due to Nepal’s terrain, natural disasters have a greater impact on houses built without disaster-resilient techniques.

Experts have called for concerted efforts to close the gap between weather forecasts and lacklustre response after a trail of recent rain-related destruction. Coordination among the three tiers of government and security departments is crucial for timely evacuations and safe relocation of the affected lots, travel restrictions, and efficient rescue operations. Prioritising investments in modern equipment and technologies for disaster response is crucial.

Following the several incidents of rain-triggered calamities, experts say that preparedness and rapid response should be a key focus in Nepal’s governance agenda. This entails improving communication across agencies and actively promoting disaster resilience in communities. It is crucial to strengthen the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and ensure it plays a more active role in disaster prevention. Without question, there needs to be a shift in political will. Leaders need to acknowledge that natural disasters are a pressing issue. It takes more than just lip service to tackle the risks brought about by such disasters.

The inefficiency of our authorities and system appear to be the main reasons behind Nepal’s failure to mitigate impacts. Even with multiple warnings from meteorological experts, the government didn’t take essential precautions. In the meantime, disregarding instructions to suspend night bus services resulted in avoidable fatalities. Due to the government’s negligence, many people living in flood-prone areas along riverbanks were not evacuated in time, leading to buried passenger buses caused by landslides.

Mitigation measures 

Another measure to mitigate the severe impacts of natural catastrophes is precise weather forecasts. But the value of accurate weather prediction goes down the drain if authorities don’t respond to MFD’s warnings in time. Also, the lack of coordination among various levels of government results in delayed responses and ineffective disaster management, leading to several losses of life.

In Nepal, the chronic shortage of resources coupled with habitual negligence adds to the challenges of disaster preparedness. Despite having well-trained personnel in the security forces, the country’s rescue operations heavily rely on obsolete equipment and techniques. Finally, the most vulnerable bear the brunt of all forms of natural calamities as the country grapples with natural catastrophes. Many of our highways, bridges, transmission lines, schools, hospitals, and government and private houses are not resilient enough to calamities that often lead to higher fatalities during disaster periods. Our authorities must therefore pay attention to avert disaster risks by heeding warnings and acting in time while giving utmost priority to building resilience in disaster-prone areas.

(Upadhyay is a former managing editor of this daily.)