New Delhi. The sudden flood that occurred in Nepal on August 26 has caused large-scale devastation. About 22 lakh tonnes of debris is estimated to have accumulated after the flood in the areas around Bhotekoshi-Trishuli River. According to preliminary assessments by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), 84,270 people in 17 municipalities in six districts have been affected by the disaster.
The flood waters brought with them large amounts of debris, including parts of destroyed houses and buildings, household items, trees, plants, rocks and soil. A large number of houses, roads and other essential facilities have been damaged due to the pressure of strong flows and debris.
2,359 buildings damaged
UNDP has made a preliminary assessment of the damage based on satellite images and other available data. According to this, 2,359 buildings have been affected or damaged by the floods.
Although this is not the final figure. The loss figure may increase as relief and rescue operations progress and more information is received from the ground level.
5.56 lakh tonnes of debris only from buildings
The debris deposited after the flood does not only consist of mud and stones. This also includes parts of collapsed houses, household items, trees, plants and other objects.
According to preliminary estimates of UNDP, about 5.56 lakh tonnes of debris has come out of the buildings. Due to accumulation of such a large amount of debris, removing it has become a big challenge for the relief and rehabilitation operation.
Roads closed, even providing relief is difficult
Roads and connectivity routes have been disrupted due to accumulation of debris in many areas. Due to this, there is difficulty in providing relief material and necessary help to the affected people.
Heavy machinery is required to remove the debris. It may take time to remove large amounts of accumulated debris and return affected areas to normal.
84,270 people were affected
According to UNDP, a total of 84,270 people in 17 municipalities have been affected by the floods. Many people's houses and household items have been damaged. Due to this, the affected families are facing the challenge of arranging living space and daily essentials.
About 67.4 percent of the affected population is involved in farming. In such a situation, damage to fields and crops can have a direct impact on their income and livelihood. This flood during monsoon has further increased the problems of farmers.
Big loss to power projects too
The floods have also affected Nepal's electricity system. According to initial assessment, 11 hydropower stations and one solar plant have been hit by the floods. The total power generation capacity of these projects is about 431.1 MW.
Apart from this, 15 power projects under construction have also been affected. Their total capacity is said to be around 470 MW. Due to damage caused to the projects, the timeline of their construction and operation may be affected.
The loss figure may increase further
The figures released by UNDP are currently preliminary estimates. More details of damaged buildings, infrastructure and the number of people affected are expected to emerge as relief and rescue operations proceed. In such a situation, changes in the figures related to debris and damage are possible.
Currently, 22 lakh tonnes of debris, 84,270 affected people and 2,359 damaged buildings show the magnitude of the floods in Nepal. Now the biggest challenge before the relief operation is to remove the debris, restore connectivity and provide necessary assistance to the affected families.