The flash floods, landslides and inundations, triggered by incessant heavy rains, have wreaked havoc in different parts of the country. Dozens of people have lost their lives while many private houses, roads, hydropower plants and other public infrastructures have been destroyed in various districts for the last few days. Sindhupalchowk, Myagdi, Lamjung, Kaski, Dhading, Jajarkot and Sankhuwasabha have so far been the worst-hit districts. On Saturday alone, additional 19 bodies were recovered from Myagdi and Jajarkot districts. This shows how the disasters have taken toll on the lives of people. The National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, disclosed on Friday that about two dozen people had lost their lives in landslides and floods, with dozens of others going missing in various districts. The disasters have rendered hundreds of families homeless. Thus, the monsoon menace has posed extra challenges for the nation amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), in close coordination with the security agencies and other relevant bodies, has mobilised teams to search and rescue the victims of the natural calamities. However, it has been difficult for such teams to reach out to several affected areas to carry out rescue operations as floods and landslides have damaged roads linking those areas. Helicopter rescue has been hampered in some mountainous areas due to the continuous heavy downpours and cloudy weather. The monsoon rains easily lead to massive floods and landslips in the hilly and mountain regions because of the fragile ecology. The haphazard use of heavy construction equipment like dozers for opening tracks in such regions is another factor behind such disasters. The devastating 2015 earthquake and its aftershocks had weakened the topography there. Meanwhile, the weather forecasting division, under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, has stated that the country may experience more heavy rainfalls for a few more days.

News reports are pouring in that most of the rivers across the country have now been swollen as a result of the incessant rainfalls. The level of some of the biggest rivers has already crossed the danger mark. Many settlements of different Terai districts are now at high risk of inundation. Rescue teams had to evacuate some 300 households in Ishanath Municipality-1 of Rautahat district to safe places as there was a flood in a local river on Saturday. In view of the possible monsoon devastations, the government has installed early warning system in some risky areas. Since this system has proved to be instrumental in preventing loss of lives, the government needs to install the same in other areas as well. Making disaster preparedness must be the government’s top priority.

With the rain-induced calamities hitting the country hard, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has instructed ministers, security officials, and other stakeholders to intensify search, rescue, relief and rehabilitation activities in the affected areas. The Prime Minister expressed the view at the fourth meeting of the National Council for Disaster Reduction and Management held his official residence at Baluwatar on Saturday. He assured that there would be no financial crunch to deal with the disaster. It is a crucial time for the authorities concerned and other stakeholders to work with a high morale to cope with the adversity that Nepalis are facing annually.