From Disaster Response to Disaster Resilience

Four days of continuous rain have exposed the country's vulnerability to natural disasters. Since September 24, floods and landslides have killed many individuals, buried houses, and displaced hundreds. At least 407 people were saved, with over 1,000 evacuated from Rupandehi alone. The Kaligandaki washed away roughly 80 houses in Farse, Parbat, and inundated about 50 houses in Setibeni. Six homes were swept away in Butwal, while hundreds more were swamped elsewhere. The ultimate human and property losses may escalate as more information is received from impacted regions. The destruction to infrastructure is similarly concerning. Landslides and floods affected at least 11 major roads, including the Prithvi and BP highways, while the Narayangadh-Muglin route was repeatedly obstructed. The Trishuli eroded a portion of the road at Simaltal. Roads including the Karnali Corridor, Karnali Highway, Mid Hill Highway, and Rapti Highway were also closed. Bridges in Syangja, Gulmi, and Myagdi were washed away. Damage to hydropower facilities, transmission lines, and substations impacted around 1,800 MW of the energy system at various periods and locations. Telecommunications were affected when optical fibre networks and power supplies collapsed. Heavy monsoon rain is not anticipated in Nepal. Steep mountains, unstable slopes, rapid moving rivers, and communities packed into valleys and riverbanks provide circumstances in which heavy rains may swiftly cause landslides and flooding. However, geography cannot explain the magnitude of all disasters. Nepal often constructs roads by cutting unstable mountains without proper drainage or slope protection. Settlements spread along riverbanks and floodplains. Bridges, retaining walls, and drainage systems are often planned for historical circumstances rather than for future bad weather. Maintenance is done after something collapses, rather than before the rain hits.