The Nepal Weekly 
September 3, 2024
By Arun Ranjit
Beginning September, it is hoped that the rainy season is near to end and autumn season to be started.
Still yesterday persistent rainfall in Nepal, the rainy season that began almost three months ago, faced flash flooding and landslides in different parts of the country has resulted in a huge number of casualties and damaged millions worth personal properties to development infrastructures.
Parts of Nepal have been experiencing heavy rainfall that warn of flash floods in multiple rivers. It is a known fact that Nepal, which is among the places most vulnerable to climate change, faces landslides and floods every year. Nepal’s topography and network of river systems make it highly susceptible to disasters, a situation that is likely to be exacerbated by climate change.
A country on the frontlines of climate change, the monsoon season also wreaked havoc in Nepal experiencing more erratic and intense weather and rapid warming of glaciers, leading to severe flash floods and landslides.
Flash flood is caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time characterized by raging torrents after heavy rains that rip through river beds, urban streets, or mountain canyons sweeping everything before them.
Flash floods are fast-moving currents of water that pose great danger to people and property. It could move quickly move quickly at 9 feet per second with strong enough flow or move a 100-lb rock.
According to the Nepal government report, nearly 69,000 people were temporarily displaced and over three digits of people have died due to floods and landslides this monsoon season. Also, 65 people who were on two buses were pushed into a swollen river by landslides in July. Still many people are missing while many injured have been provided medical facilities. However, many affected families have started going back home since the rains have decreased and water level receded.
Monsoon season lasts from June through September and deaths from landslides and flash floods are a frequent occurrence. It is said that Nepal has a very high risk of floods. History shows that the flood history of 1993 floods in Central Nepal, 2008 Koshi embankment breach floods, and the 2013, 2014 and 2017 floods in the mid- and far-western regions caused not only immense loss to both human life and property but also had a devastating impact on development.
Besides Nepal, June to mid-September is the monsoon season in entire South Asia thus fatal floods and landslides are not uncommon throughout the region. Huge numbers of fatal floods and landslides occurred during the monsoon rains that bring widespread death and destruction every year across South Asia.
But mostly, heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides affect Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan in South Asia.
UNICEF estimates that more than 12 million people, including about five million children, have been affected and put the over millions’ lives at risk
“Millions of children have seen their lives turned upside down by the torrential rainfall, flooding and landslides,” noted UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia Mr. Jean Gough.
“Across the region, we are seeing the devastating impact of extreme weather events on children and families,” said Gough.
In India, more than ten million people including more than 4.3 million children have been affected across Assam, Bihar, parts of Uttar Pradesh and other north-eastern states.
Whilst parts of the country have been suffering from heavy rainfall and flooding, other parts are still reeling from the aftermath of severe heat and water deficit, affecting almost half of the country.
According to local media reports, the state of Tripura in eastern India was hit by extraordinary rainfall resulting in landslides affecting about 1.7 million people displaced to relief camps. Multiple landslides were also reported in the northern state of Himanchal Pradesh leading to several casualties.
In Bangladesh, monsoon rains continue to affect most of the country, particularly the central-northern and south-east regions. Over 18 million people in Bangladesh have been affected by severe monsoon conditions, with more than 1.2 million families trapped as flash floods submerge vast areas of the country’s east and southeast.
Nearly 400,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed and many schools have been damaged by floodwaters. Cox’s Bazar in the south-east of the country – home to more than a million Rohingya refugees – has been hit by excessive rain too.
It is estimated that around five million people including huge numbers of children have been affected, many stranded without food and relief
The number of disasters per year is projected to increase globally from 2015 by 40% by 2030, according to the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
In Pakistan, floods disasters claimed over three digits livelihoods and also resulted in “extensive damage” to vital infrastructure heightening vulnerability.
Assessments and responses continue, with humanitarian partners and authorities reporting food, clean water, medical supplies and hygiene kits as key needs.
Because of torrential rains, the South Asia region experienced a devastating situation including many lives put at risk along with flash floods and landslides leaving many homeless.
It is also reported that Similarly, in Afghanistan, recent flash floods swept away several hundred homes, claiming few numbers of lives and leaving hundreds of families homeless.
As per the UNICEF Children’s Climate Risk Index, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan are among the countries where children are at an elevated risk due to climate crisis as floods increase the risk of disease and diarrhea outbreaks leading to dehydration and malnutrition with contaminating safe water supplies.
In addition, floods also put many children at risk of abuse, exploitation and trafficking.
However, flooding can bring benefits, such as making soil more fertile and providing nutrients in which it is deficient.
Climate change may change flood risk affecting flooding through changes in rainfall, temperature, sea level and river processes.It is therefore important that your flood risk assessments incorporate an understanding of the impacts of climate change on the flood hazard.
Flood control will become an ever-increasing issue in world politics. Addressing climate solutions could drive the causes and impacts of the climate crisis along with a combination of human ingenuity and immense political will.
