Kathmandu, 02 October (H.S.): It has been 38 days since devastating flash floods swept through Nepal’s Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa district and subsequently inundated the Trishuli and Narayani river systems. However, even 38 days after the disaster, a Nepal government team has still been unable to reach the location where the disaster originated. A Chinese team, meanwhile, reached the site the very next day.

Asked why the Nepali team had been unable to reach the point of origin of the disaster, Dr. Dharmaraj Upreti, executive chief of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, said, “We ourselves have not reached the point of origin. A helicopter is required to get there.” Upreti indicated that the authorities did not have an adequate budget for the mission. However, he said that essential information was being continuously provided by China.

“China has already reached the site. It is continuously providing us with information about the situation there, as well as satellite-related data. We are obtaining high-resolution data and studying it. Technology has been a great help. It is not necessary for us to physically reach the site ourselves,” he said.

Thus, Nepal is having to rely on China for crucial data concerning a disaster that occurred within Nepali territory. Upreti also said that Nepal and China had recently signed a memorandum of understanding concerning the exchange of climate- and weather-related information.

On August 26, flooding that originated along the Bhotekoshi River and subsequently affected the Trishuli and Narayani river systems caused extensive loss of life and property across several districts, including Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha, Tanahun and Chitwan.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the bodies of 1,453 people, including recovered human remains, have so far been retrieved in connection with the floods, while 5,285 people remain missing. The search for those still unaccounted for is continuing.

Of the recovered remains, 1,334 have been safely preserved underground, while 112 bodies have been handed over to their families. DNA testing has been carried out on 1,330 of the deceased. DNA samples have also been collected from 2,061 relatives of missing citizens.

The Nepal government had constituted a Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment team to assess the damage caused by the Bhotekoshi floods and determine the requirements for reconstruction. However, the team also prepared and submitted its report to the government without reaching the disaster’s point of origin.

According to the team’s preliminary assessment, the floods caused total economic damage and losses estimated at 408.2891 billion Nepalese rupees. The assessment further estimated that 723.3152 billion Nepalese rupees would be required for reconstruction following the devastation.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar