By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, July 20: Although the country has been witnessing moderate to heavy rains in major parts of the country, the whole nation recorded only two casualties in the water-induced incidents in the last 24 hours.
Monsoon trough caused by the easterly wind has entered Nepal from the east on Sunday afternoon and is likely to cause heavy rains in major parts of the country for the next five days, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Authority (NDRRMA).
According to an update of the NDRRMA, two people died and 18 different types of natural disasters occurred in the last 24 hours.
A man was swept away while crossing the Ridi River on Sunday morning. Also, a 12-year old girl drowned in the pond at Ghodaghodi Municipality-6 in Kailali district.
In the last 24 hours, 18 people were injured in different natural disasters and property worth Rs. 1.7 million was damaged.
Three roadways (highways) came to disruption within the period. The Beshisahar-Chame road section has come to a complete halt in Nanso Guanpalika-1 in Manang district after incessant rains.
Similarly, vehicular movements along the mid-hill highway at Panchadawal Binayak Gaunpalika in Achham district came to a complete halt. Also, a landslide damaged the Jaya Prithvi highway at Kedarrasyu Gaunpalika-1 in Bajhang district.
According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, there is a high chance of flashfloods in the Kankai, Kamala, Bagmati, Tinau and West Rapti rivers and their tributaries in the next 24 hours. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has suggested the locals residing near the riverside to stay alert from the possible flashfloods.
Similarly, major rivers flowing down to the Terai in State 1, 2, 5 and Gandaki States and the rivers flowing from the Chure region may cross the danger mark in the next 24 hours, according to the DHM.
According to the NDRRMA, so far 104 people have been died in landslides, three floods and 17 in thunderbolts across Nepal from June 12 to July 18.
Meanwhile, in Janakpurdham, the government of State 2 has stated that various mechanisms are in standby state in the eight districts of the State to prevent loss of life and property from floods and landslides.
Minister for Internal Affairs and Law Gyanendra Yadav, who is also the spokesperson of the State government, told The Rising Nepal that various search and rescue equipment, including eight drone cameras, had been provided to relevant agencies. He also said that their capacity had been built up.
“They are all prepared to

minimise the damage to be caused by floods and landslides in the State,” he added.
He also said that the Armed Police Force (APF) had been provided with the necessary rubber boats, motor boats and jackets. He further informed search and rescue teams had conducted proper flood preparedness and response exercises and were currently on standby in all the districts of the State.
According to Minister Yadav, the government has also formed a three-member ministerial level committee to gather information about the ground situation. “The committee has been conducting mitigation works in various ways,” he said. “Safe shelters have been managed for around 1,000 families in all the eight districts.”
The State government will make arrangements for the resettlement of families displaced by floods, Yadav said.
“I have personally visited the flood-affected areas of State 2, too,” he said, adding that the government was prepared to prevent any problem arising in these areas. Meanwhile, exercises on activities that can be done to prevent crises in the disaster-hit areas have begun in Dhanusha district.
Shahidnagar Municipality, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Life Nepal jointly organised a flood preparedness and response exercise in the eastern part of the district, informed Surait Thakur, chairman of Life Nepal.
The programme where Nepal Police and APF personnel manoeuvred for search and rescue during floods and landslides was chaired by Shahidnagar Mayor Uday Barbariya Yadav.