KATHMANDU, JUNE 14
Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has approved its Monsoon Preparedness and Response Plan, identifying 128 flood-prone locations within the city and estimating that more than 8,000 households could be affected during the upcoming rainy season.
The plan was endorsed by a meeting of the Metropolitan Disaster Management Committee chaired by Acting Mayor Sunita Dangol. It is based on projections by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology that the monsoon season will last from June 1 to September 30.
According to KMC, around 8,315 households are at risk from flooding and inundation. The plan was prepared following the identification and mapping of vulnerable areas by a task force led by Metropolitan Director Basanta Acharya.
Disaster Management Department Chief Aniruddha Nepal said Ward No. 14, located in the lower belt around the confluence of the Bagmati and Bishnumati rivers, faces the highest flood risk. Wards 13, 15, 29, 10, 16, 26, 32 and 12 have also been identified as highly vulnerable.
Ward No. 30 has the highest number of flood-prone sites, with 21 locations at risk, while Wards 4 and 32 each have 10 vulnerable locations.
In terms of population impact, Ward No. 16 is expected to be the worst affected, with around 1,600 households at risk due to flooding from the Samakhushi and Bishnumati rivers and other streams. An estimated 1,255 households in Ward No. 26, 955 in Ward No. 4 and 950 in Ward No. 3 could also be affected.
The preparedness plan includes contact details of ward-level disaster management committees, elected representatives, security agencies, fire brigades, ambulance services and health institutions. It also lists available emergency resources and equipment.
KMC has assigned disaster preparedness, rescue, relief, recovery and rehabilitation responsibilities to 11 municipal departments. The city has identified 51 parks, 28 open spaces and 87 schools that can be used as shelters or emergency facilities during disasters.
Addressing the meeting, Acting Mayor Dangol stressed the importance of regular drills, clear division of responsibilities, adequate stockpiling of emergency supplies and ensuring public access to disaster-response resources.
To reduce flood risks, KMC has intensified river-cleaning and drainage maintenance works. Around 30 workers are deployed daily to clear waste and obstructions from rivers, drainage systems, culverts, catch pits and manholes to ensure smooth water flow and minimise the risk of urban flooding during the monsoon.
