KATHMANDU: The devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi–Trishuli river system have left 26 employees of commercial banks missing, according to the Nepal Bankers’ Association.
A total of 12 commercial banks operated 17 branches and extension counters in the affected areas. Among the missing are seven employees of Nepal Investment Mega Bank, five from Machhapuchchhre Bank, four each from Prabhu Bank and NMB Bank, two each from Sanima Bank and Laxmi Sunrise Bank, and one each from Global IME Bank and Himalayan Bank.
Of the 115 employees working at the affected branches and counters, four have been injured.
The floods completely destroyed branches of Agricultural Development Bank in Trishuli, Citizens Bank in Devighat, Global IME Bank in Timure, Himalayan Bank in Betravati, and Sanima and NMB banks in Timure.
Prabhu Bank’s Timure and Syafrubesi branches were also completely damaged. Nepal Investment Mega Bank’s Syafrubesi branch and Mailung extension counter were destroyed, while its Timure branch suffered partial damage.
The association said NIC Asia’s branches in Trishuli, Syafrubesi and Betravati were completely damaged. The Timure branches of Laxmi Sunrise, Machhapuchchhre and Nabil Bank also suffered complete damage.
Of the 17 affected branches and counters, eight were located in Timure.
Banks report Rs 556.8 million in losses
The association’s preliminary assessment puts the physical damage to banks at Rs 556.87 million. A further Rs 172.46 million in cash held in vaults was at risk in the affected branches.
Nine ATMs were operating in the affected areas and held Rs 11.66 million in cash before the disaster. The Agricultural Development Bank ATM has been found damaged, while the status of the other ATMs remains unknown.
The affected branches collectively had 78,204 deposit accounts and 2,125 loan accounts. They held more than Rs 4.43 billion in deposits and had extended more than Rs 2.42 billion in loans.
The scale of the damage means the Bhotekoshi disaster has disrupted not only bank infrastructure and personnel but also the local financial system, cash circulation, deposits and lending operations across the affected areas.
