Kathmandu, November 13

The country faced damages worth Rs 61.84 billion — of which 53 per cent of the total damage was in housing sector — due to massive floods between August 11 to 14, which adversely affected 18 districts of Tarai, as per Post Flood Recovery Needs Assessment (PFRNA) carried out by the National Planning Commission (NPC).

Unveiling the PFRNA, Swarnim Wagle, vice chairman of the NPC, said that Rs 73.22 billion is required for the recovery from the damage.

NPC today submitted the PFRNA to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and suggested the government to launch immediate relief packages in the flood-affected areas as soon as possible.

“Akin to the relief packages provided to the quake victims in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes of 2015, when the government had provided corrugated sheets and Rs 15,000 to each victim household to fulfil their immediate needs, we have suggested the government to introduce relief packages for the flood victims and also proposed grants like those provided to eligible quake beneficiaries to reconstruct the houses damaged by the floods,” said Wagle.

The government is planning to undertake the recovery within two to three years.

Wagle said that the reconstruction of individual houses will be given high priority and the government will also look into restoring educational and health establishments, production-related sectors like agriculture, livestock, irrigation, and infrastructure of energy, transportation, drinking water and sanitation that were damaged due to the floods.

“Of the total recovery need of Rs 73 billion, there will be contribution from the government, non-governmental organisations and the private investment of the victims,” said Wagle, adding, “The non-governmental organisations willing to work in the flood-affected areas will be granted permission to do so.”

The government is also mulling over mobilising international assistance for rehabilitation of the flood victims.

The government is preparing to initiate the programmes of post-flood reconstruction through the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA). The government has formed a special cell under the NRA and appointed Suman Kumar Karna as the head of the special cell for the post-flood reconstruction.

The massive floods earlier this year claimed lives of 134 people in various districts of the country and affected altogether 1.7 million.

PFRNA Highlights

Sector 

Sub-sector

Damage

Social

Housing

 $187.9 million 

Health 

$6 million

Education 

$11.5 million

Productive

Agriculture 

$69.5 million

Livestock 

$102.7 million

Irrigation

 $168.1 million

Infrastructure

Transportation 

$28.3 million

Drinking water, sanitation 

$8.5 million

Energy

$2.12 million