Monsoon-Triggered Disasters Claim 211 Lives in Country, 48 Missing

Hamrakura
Published 2024 Aug 15 Thursday

Kathmandu: A total of 211 people have lost their lives due to monsoon-triggered disasters and other incidents in the past two months, with 48 individuals reported missing.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), 170 of the fatalities were directly linked to monsoon-induced disasters, while the remaining deaths were attributed to incidents such as fires, snakebites, high altitude sickness, and animal attacks. These figures cover the period from June 10, marking the onset of this year's monsoon season.

NDRRMA Spokesperson Dr. Dijan Bhattarai reported that Bagmati and Gandaki provinces suffered the highest losses, with 58 casualties each, followed by 39 in Lumbini, 26 in Koshi, 14 in Sudurpaschim, nine in Karnali, and seven in Madhes.

During this period, 3,647 families were affected by 1,333 incidents across the country. Koshi Province saw the highest number of affected families, totaling 1,212 from 405 incidents. Other provinces also experienced significant impacts, with 513 families affected in Madhes, 471 in Bagmati, 437 in Gandaki, 326 in Lumbini, 240 in Karnali, and 448 in Sudurpashim.

In terms of missing persons, Koshi reported two, Bagmati 40, Gandaki three, Lumbini two, and Karnali one.

The human casualties this year have surpassed those of the previous year, which recorded 72 fatalities by this time. NDRRMA CEO Anil Pokhrel noted that the systems for disaster preparedness, rescue, search, and information flow are being coordinated to manage the ongoing challenges. Rainfall levels this year have exceeded average forecasts, contributing to the increased impact of monsoon-related disasters.



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