Over 400 deaths from cliff fall in Karnali in 10 years

By Lalit Basel,Surkhet, Dec. 15: Fatal and injurious falls from cliffs during activities like grass-cutting or commuting are not uncommon in Karnali. According to the Karnali Province Police, 440 people have died after falling off cliffs in the province’s ten districts over the past decade (fiscal year 2013/14 to 2022/23).

Police records show that most of the victims fell off cliffs while cutting grass or returning home with bundles of grass. Residents of hill districts such as Dailekh, Jajarkot, Rukum and Kalikot are particularly affected.

In fiscal year 2014/15, 37 people died after falling off cliffs in Karnali. The numbers increased to 48 in 2015/16, 46 in 2016/17, 32 in 2017/18 and 34 in 2018/19. The fatalities continued to rise, with 39 deaths in 2019/20, 45 in 2020/21, 44 in 2021/22 and 48 in 2022/23.

In the fiscal year 2023/24 alone, 61 people -- the highest recorded in a single year -- lost their lives after falling off cliffs, according to Narayan Dangi, spokesperson and information officer of the Karnali Province Police Office in Surkhet.

Salyan district recorded the highest number of fatalities, with 117 deaths from cliff falls. Police also said that some families, due to the hassle of post-mortem examinations, legal filings and identity verifications, opt to conduct final rites without notifying authorities.

The province’s rugged terrain forces farmers to cut grass and collect firewood from steep slopes, which often leads to accidents. To address this issue, officials have stressed the need for awareness campaigns.

The 2021 National Agricultural Census reported that 302,640 families cultivate 117,410 hectares of land in Karnali, with 57 per cent of the region’s terrain classified as steep.

Treating injuries from such falls is expensive, as most victims suffer from fractured spines, arms or legs. According to Dr. Subha Shrestha, an orthopedic, neurology and trauma specialist at the Provincial Hospital in Birendranagar, patients with spinal fractures often seek treatment at the hospital, which provides RS. 100,000 in government aid for spinal injury treatment.

Similarly, spinal injury cases are also treated at Sainik Hospital in Surkhet. The 2021 National Census revealed that 3.1 per cent of Karnali’s population has some form of disability, with 45.4 per cent of those classified as having physical disabilities. 

While specific data on the causes of disabilities is unavailable, a significant portion is believed to result from falling off cliffs, according to Jitlal Dhakal, Advocacy Officer for the National Federation of Disabled Nepal.