KATHMANDU: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has prepared to mobilize its emergency response and relief mechanisms following the sudden flooding of the Bhotekoshi River that caused significant damage and casualties in parts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Chitwan and Gorkha.
A meeting of the KMC Disaster Management Committee, chaired by Acting Mayor Sunita Dangol, discussed the municipality’s role in responding to the disaster and providing necessary assistance to affected areas.
The meeting designated Anirudra Nepal, member-secretary of the committee and chief of KMC’s Disaster Management Department, to coordinate and facilitate the emergency response.
KMC has already dispatched four ambulances it operates toward Nuwakot. Two additional ambulances have been kept on standby at Tribhuvan International Airport for immediate deployment if required.
The committee also decided to mobilize doctors and other health workers employed by the metropolitan city as needed and provide medicines and other essential medical supplies to injured and affected patients.
Disaster-response equipment and other materials currently stocked at KMC’s Emergency Operations Centre will be supplied to affected areas based on need. If the available stock of equipment and medicines proves insufficient, the municipality will procure additional supplies using its Disaster Management Fund.
KMC said it would coordinate with relevant local governments and other concerned agencies to support rescue, medical treatment, relief distribution and other emergency response activities in the flood-affected areas.
