Recent monsoon rainfall in Nepal heaviest in over 50 years

5 Oct 2024 by The Water Diplomat

The most intense rainfall in half a century occurred in Karnali province in Nepal in late September, resulting in flash floods and landslides in the densely populated Kathmandu valley as well as its adjoining districts, damaging infrastructure, homes, infrastructure and agricultural areas. Vulnerability in the province is high: Karnali province is known as one of the most impoverished areas of Nepal and 39,5% of its population faces multidimensional poverty.

The rains that started in the night of 26 September lasted until 29 September leaving thousands of travellers stuck as a result of 34 blocked and damaged highways, which simultaneously hampered search and rescue operations. All roads to the capital Kathmandu were blocked by the heavy monsoon rainfall. The rainfall was reported to be the highest since the start of the measurements in 1970.  

The weather has led to substantial loss of life: a week after the rains began, the death toll stood 236 with at least 19 people missing and 173 injured. 4000 victims have been rescued according to the Nepal Police.

UNICEF is working closely with the Government of Nepal and other humanitarian partners such as the Red Cross to assess the situation and provide urgent response. The Red Cross has freed an emergency fund of over 520,000 Swiss francs (€ 552,000) to further support the ongoing flood relief efforts in Nepal, with 200 Nepali Red Cross staff and volunteers working closely with the authorities on evacuations and search and rescue in the field, as well as the distribution of essential supplies. Providing access to essential resources, such as fresh water, is a challenge. And even when the floodwaters recede, there is a risk of a major outbreak of dengue fever – the World Health Organisation has reported a surge in cases of the disease, which is endemic to Nepal. The Red Cross has stated that there is an urgent need to scale up the disaster preparedness and empowerment of communities in Nepal, the Red Cross comments.

Nepal is seen to have a poor response system to disasters. Just recently at COP 28, in September 2023, a study carried out by Mission East Nepal was presented on Karnali province, called “Loss and Damage due to climate change in Karnali Province, Nepal”. In the study report, the conclusion is drawn that “Strengthening local government institutions is critical for effective disaster response since they are the closest and most responsive to households. These institutions should be equipped with up-to-date policies and legal instruments for disaster management”. In the Kathmandu Post experts comment that the disaster response in Nepal is reactive and only active in the aftermath of the disaster and that there is a lack of competence and equipment.

Karnali province, with the Kathmandu valley at its centre, is known as one of the most impoverished provinces of Nepal because of its remote and geographically challenging terrains that are heavily dependent on agriculture. A recent study has found that climate induced disasters, and in particular heavy rainfall, resulting in  landslides and floods, affecting homes, agricultural fields, and transportation infrastructure. As a whole, the study finds that climate change heavily impacts Nepal’s economy, society, biodiversity, and ecosystems, with in this specific province having limited housing, agricultural land, and livestock. There has been significant reduction in forested areas over the years conversion of land cover, and in combination with regular forest fires, risks of landslides have been increasing.

Non-economic loss is also seen due to the sudden loss of land and housing due to floods and landslides, leading to trauma especially amongst women, as the men are often away for seasonal earnings or labour.

The study concludes with the remark that consequently, loss and damage associated with climate change impacts have emerged as a policy debate in the context of the UNFCCC, aiming to bolster resilience before extreme weather or slow-onset events occur. Policy gaps hinder Nepal's ability to effectively address climate change related loss and damage. The study furthermore recommends allocating a portion of compensation and development funds for disaster insurance and the establishment of an early warning system. This allocation, which may be a fixed percentage of the total budget, would help mitigate the negative impacts of climate-induced loss and damage.