Just two weeks after the onset of this year’s monsoon rains, 85 incidents of landslides have been reported across the country. These natural disasters have claimed 32 lives. Loss and damage of physical properties has amounted to Rs. 9.1 million. Monsoon rain is a lifeline for Nepal because its agro sector largely depends on it. However, rains do not always fall in the manner we desire. While there are droughts and inadequate precipitations in some areas, there are torrential rains and thunderstorms in others that take the form of disasters. As a result, losses of lives and property related to lightning strikes, flashfloods, landslips and inundation dominate all disasters occurring during the monsoon season. Monsoon system activated on June 12 this year, and according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), a total of 133 families have been affected by landslides and floods so far. As monsoon season lasts in Nepal till September-end, more incidents related to inclement weather may be coming. We have to remain standby to deal with them. In the event of a disaster, all our efforts should focus on search, rescue and rehabilitation. Supply of food, medicine, medics and safe water is also important.

In the initial monsoon havoc, the western districts of Parbat and Bajhang have been worst affected where landslides have swept away a number of houses. This is only the beginning of the monsoon season and the early indication of havoc calls for rain related disaster risk reduction preparedness and timely warning by the government’s weather forecasting authorities. A high level official at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has said that change of rainfall patterns in recent decades has increased the trend of monsoon related natural disasters. Instead of prolonged gentle rains, there are often the incidents of cloudbursts, downpour and torrential rains that cause untold devastations. The total amount of rains may be approximately similar every year but the pattern of falling makes all the difference. Landslides, flashfloods and inundation occur when large amount of rains fall within a short span of time. The global phenomenon of warming and climate change is blamed for altering monsoon dynamics and extreme weather patterns, resulting in unprecedented natural disasters.

Experts have put Nepal in the high risk zone in terms of water-induced disasters and in this regard, installing of high-tech early warning system and sound preparedness of disaster response teams are essential. Advanced weather forecasting technology needs to be installed to alert local people about heavy rainfall system formation and potential catastrophe. Early warning about impending disaster helps people move to safer sites on time and save lives. In this regard, geologists can also give some cue about specific areas that are geologically weakened after the powerful earthquake of April 2015. Coordinated efforts of the geologists and meteorologists can work wonders to avert disaster risks. We have been witnessing the disaster events of dry landslides and rock falls in different parts of the country after the Gorkha earthquake and heavy rainfalls can trigger more of such incidents. Lessons from past disasters are very important to prepare for future disasters but our short memory tends to be the greatest impediment in this regard.