It's our collective responsibility to safeguard the lives and property of Nepal's people and transform the annual monsoon into a source of strength and renewal
The monsoon season is a time of both opportunity and challenge for Nepal. It fuels our agriculture, a sector that contributes nearly 25 per cent of the country's GDP and supports over 60 per cent of our population. The rains are also vital for replenishing groundwater and filling reservoirs, which are crucial for hydropower and drinking water. However, as much as the monsoon benefits us, it also brings challenges-severe floods in the Tarai and landslides in the hills. Since June, the monsoon has claimed over 145 lives and displaced more than 3,000 families. This devastating reality highlights the urgent need for us to rethink and improve our approach to managing the risks associated with these seasonal storms.
A recent disaster highlights the urgency of this issue. A landslide, triggered by relentless rain, tragically swept two buses carrying over 60 people into a flooded river in central Nepal. This heartbreaking event occurred early in the morning on the Narayanghat-Mugling highway in Chitwan district. This region, often hit by landslides during heavy rains, has seen homes submerged, roads blocked and livestock lost due to the ongoing monsoon. In response, the government has introduced a new rule banning nighttime bus travel in areas prone to bad weather. While this is a step in the right direction, it feels more like a temporary fix rather than a comprehensive solution.
It's crucial for all levels of government to heed the advice of experts-engineers, geologists, and environmental scientists-when planning and constructing roads. We can't afford to cut corners and hope for the best. Slope stabilisation through bioengineering, particularly on the Mugling-Narayanghat highway and other high-risk routes, should be a top priority. We must also ensure that road construction projects are rigorously monitored and followed up on.
But that's not all. Here are a few more steps that could significantly reduce the impact of such tragedies in the future:
Improving early warning systems: Today it is easy to make good forecasts as to when and where a storm may occur and constantly monitor areas that are likely to experience a landslide. Increased network of weather stations and construction of automated rainfall and landslide detectors will give enough time to evacuate and take all necessary measures. Extreme care must be taken to ensure that the forecasts reach the most isolated areas through the various means that include radio announcement, mobile alerts and community announcements.
Infrastructure resilience: Solid infrastructure in most rural and hilly regions is not developed to protect it from the monsoon's rage. Substantial revenue and budget are required to build or adapt the roads, bridges and buildings to resist the force of heavy monsoon and landslides. High standards must then be set on construction especially considering the geographical characteristics of Nepal. The Narayanghat-Mugling highway for instance requires immediate reconstruction to avoid such an incident in the future.
Public awareness and preparedness: Education and planning with the public can decrease the effects of natural disasters. Drills and passing of information can help make people aware of what to do when a calamity is near or has already happened. Teaching the people in the targeted communities elementary things like first aid and basic rescue operations are very useful in the initial hours before the arrival of experts.
Strategic land use planning: Landslides indicate that there was unregulated construction and deforestation since both have effects in increasing their susceptibility. This is because careful planning and regulation can help prevent the occurrences of unbalanced lands, deforestation and random constructions that cause such risks. Other ways of supporting maintenance of mechanical stability of the soil include avoiding use of controversial farming techniques and avoiding cases of overgrazing. Thus, cities need to incorporate green areas as well as natural barriers that will effectively manage water runoff.
Enhancing emergency response: Efficient emergency response systems are highly desirable. Therefore, the provision of well-equipped and well-trained rescue teams and the possibility of their immediate deployment are critical. Transportation such as helicopters and other aerial means provides fast access to some of these regions, helping to organise temporary shelters and provide immediate relief to the people.
International collaboration: Nepal does not have to face these challenges alone. Foreign involvement can also be a source of knowledge and capital that may not be available locally. Bilateral relations with other countries within the region also help in improving cooperation in disaster management within the region.
Policy and governance: Disaster management also needs good policies and good governance in a more comprehensive manner. The Disaster Management Authority should be created as an independent body with full authority in implementing and enforcing policies. As the disaster management planning is a dynamic process, it is significant to review and update the plans from time to time.
If we act promptly and in a structured way, future monsoons don't have to be as deadly and destructive as they are today. It's our collective responsibility to safeguard the lives and property of Nepal's people and transform the annual monsoon into a source of strength and renewal. By combining a solid strategy with inclusiveness-ensuring no one is left behind-and effective coordination, we can mitigate the impact of the monsoon and create a safer future for generations to come.
Gairapipli is communications for development professional with over a decade long experience
