Kathmandu, November 2

As many as 275 persons, including 123 females, were killed and 2,491 injured in various disasters throughout the country during the period from mid-April to mid-October.

According to statistics of National Emergency Operation Centre at the Ministry of Home Affairs, a total of 5,179 families were affected by the disasters which completely destroyed 1,559 houses and damaged 1,178 others. Estimated loss caused by the disasters is around Rs 2.61 billion.

Landslide emerged as the deadliest disaster in terms of casualties during the period. NEOC said landslide claimed 84 lives, followed by lightning (45).

Similarly, incidents of boat capsize killed 14, fire (14), flood (17), heavy rainfall (17), windstorm (14), snowstorm (10), high altitude (16), wildlife terror (12), snakebite (14) and others, including hailstorm, inundation, drowning etcetera (18).

As per the statistics, as many as 814 cases of fire were reported during the period and they destroyed property worth around Rs 2.34 billion. Fires topped the chart in terms of loss of property.

The Disaster Victim Rescue and Relief Standards (Sixth Amendment) requires District Disaster Relief Committee to provide a cash relief of Rs 100,000 to the grieving family of each victim killed in the disasters.

Similarly, it has provided for a provision of Rs 10,000 immediately after disaster for each household that has lost its home or food supplies.

According to the standards, the government shall bear the cost incurred for treatment of the injured persons in government hospitals and provide Rs 1,000 as transport allowance.

According to Nepal Disaster Report published by the Ministry of Home Affairs, as many as 40,037 people lost their lives, 79,702 were injured and 5,947,268 families affected as a result of disasters between 1971 and 2016. The average annual deaths are 890. Women, children and people in vulnerable situations were disproportionately affected.