KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Balendra Shah has said that the floods that occurred in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa last Wednesday was due to climate change. Taking to his social media account this evening, the Prime Minister said, “There is no doubt that this disaster has occurred due to climate change as it has been confirmed that it led to an increase in the temperature in the Himalayan region by 1.8 degrees.
Climate change is a global contribution and response is also a global responsibility.”
Prime Minister Shah has mentioned that this incident indicates that the risks we face in the Himalayan region are increasing with climate change. “During discussions with experts, it has been said that the flood in the Bhotekoshi River in Rasuwa is the biggest disaster in the Himalayan region caused by an avalanche of snow and rock, so this region must be more aware,” he said. “It is time we present the issue of the disaster we are facing due to climate change before the international community strongly.”
“Experts say that the flood in the Bhotekoshi River may have been caused by a large portion of the glacier falling from a great height, which may have caused a major flood, starting with a large portion of the glacier melting at the site of the flood and continuing to melt. As the land is descending from the height of the Himalayas towards Nepal, the flood caught more steam and devastated the downhill area,” Prime Minister Shah said.
Since the devastating flood, the government working actively moving from search, rescue and relief distribution to rehabilitation, he said and noted that the government is working towards rehabilitation by providing necessary treatment and counseling to save the lives of the citizens of the affected areas and protecting their health. According to him, the relief distribution work is continuing in a systematic manner to the flood-affected people. A total of 2,653 people have received shelter and relief in 19 temporary shelters in Nuwakot, including for the flood survivors from Rasuwa.
Nepal continues to receive international assistance in the post-disaster management. According to the Prime Minister, the Indian government had started providing assistance from the day the disaster struck on August 26, with 68.5 tons of relief and rescue supplies so far. An 11-member Indian team has also arrived in Nepal for rescue operations. In addition, a 22 feet refrigerated container truck is also being received.
Likewise, 86 tons of relief supplies are being received from Pakistan. Sri Lanka has pledged assistance worth one million US dollars.
Bangladesh is also preparing to send relief supplies.
China has already contributed 300 million rupees to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund. A rescue team from China is working in the affected areas. It has also provided 50 tons of relief supplies. In addition, the Nepal government has requested China to provide 30 bailey bridges to be installed in the affected areas.
Meanwhile, the US has pledged 500,000 US dollars while Australia has pledged one million US dollars (in cash assistance). The UAE has already provided 83 tons of essential relief supplies and has pledged assistance of up to 10 million dollars.
Qatar has also provided relief supplies. One million Swiss francs (to be spent by the United Nations) have been received from Switzerland. Five million US dollars for budgetary support (grant) has been committed from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), a concessional loan of 167 million US dollars has been committed from the World Bank, and one hundred and fifty thousand US dollars for technical assistance has been committed from the Asian Development Bank. Pledge of support has also been received from friendly countries including the UK and Japan, and support is also being received from EU and UN agencies.
