By Narayan Dhungana, Kathmandu, July 25: The government has intensified the temporary housing building programme for the resettlement of disaster survivors.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said Rs 28.65 million was already allocated to the eight districts bearing the brunt of the monsoon-related natural disasters this year. It is for the temporary rehabilitation of 573 affected households.    

Similarly, Rs 2.99 million was sent to the respective districts by the federal government as the first instalment of the budget for the reconstruction of 4,937 private houses in 22 districts hit by the last year's incidences of natural disasters.    

The monsoon arrived in Nepal on June 11 and spread across the country on June 13. During this monsoon, rainfall was expected to be above the normal range and the frequency of the incidences of natural disasters is relatively higher than in the previous years.

Hilly districts are more affected by landslides while Tarai districts suffer from the flooding. Avalanche and snowfall are likely in the mountainous region.    

Sloppy land, sensitive geographical status, haphazard construction of roadways, settlement in vulnerable zones, unsystematic urbanization, forest fire and unmanaged forest area, haphazard land plotting, encroachment on natural heritages, the impact of multiple disasters and the lack of awareness have further exacerbated the risk of monsoon disasters.    

Rajendra Bhandari of the Department of Mines and Geology said Nepal is home to the world's highest peak to the lowest point. So, it is always vulnerable to monsoon-caused disasters. The Authority estimates that over 1.8 million people will be affected by the monsoon this year. Authority senior divisional hydrologist Rajendra Sharma said 1.7 million people are likely to be affected by floods and 120 thousand people by landslides.    

Last year, around 400 people had died from monsoon-related disasters and over 1,100 families were directly affected by it.