Policy & structural reforms key to minimizing monsoon damage
Among the reported incidents, floods accounted for 1,602 cases, while landslides numbered 2,840.
KATHMANDU: Nepal has experienced a total of 8,441 monsoon-related disasters over the past 10 years, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
Speaking at a meeting of the Federalism Strengthening and National Concerns Committee on Thursday, NDRRMA Executive Chief Engineer Dinesh Prasad Bhatt shared the alarming figures.
Among the reported incidents, floods accounted for 1,602 cases, while landslides numbered 2,840.
Similarly, 1,597 incidents were caused by heavy rainfall.
Bhatta also noted a significant rise in lightning-related disasters, with 2,400 incidents recorded in the same period.
He warned that this year could see even more intense rainfall and higher-than-average temperatures compared to last year, increasing the risk of monsoon-related hardships for communities.
Bhatta emphasized the need for both policy-level and structural reforms to effectively minimize monsoon-related damage.
He stressed that disaster management cannot be centralized alone and called for greater responsibilities to be delegated to local governments.
“Local levels must be empowered, and their capacities strengthened,” he said, adding that disaster management cannot be fully effective unless society becomes more accountable and aware.
