Jhapa Administration Issues High Alert for Flooding and Waterlogging Due to Heavy Rainfall Forecast

Jhapa. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in the eastern Terai and various other parts of the country on June 30 and July 1. In view of the potential risk of floods and waterlogging, the District Administration Office, Jhapa has urged for high vigilance.

Issuing a press release on Monday, the District Administration Office urged the general public in riverine areas and those at risk of waterlogging to be cautious as monsoon activities are increasing, potentially bringing thunderstorms and heavy rainfall. The administration has requested people not to travel along rivers and streams prone to sudden floods, not to cross them, and to obtain prior information about safe locations.

Areas around the district's main rivers, including Kankai, Biring, Ratuwa, Mechi, Mawa, and Ninda, are more affected by floods. Among the 15 local levels in the district, Gaurigunj, Kachan Kalan, Bahradashi, Jhapa, Kamal, Shivasatakshi, and Bhadrapur municipalities in the southern part are at high risk of floods and waterlogging.

To face potential disasters and minimize loss of life and property, the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, Nepal Red Cross Society, and local level mechanisms have been kept on standby with relief materials. Informing about the preparedness for disaster management and response, Chief District Officer of Jhapa, Shivaram Gelal, said, "The District Disaster Management Committee has prepared an integrated disaster response plan and is in a state of readiness. Although there is a possibility of many types of disasters in the district, flood disaster is the number one priority. Therefore, we have prepared to adopt all possible measures to prevent loss of life and property. Continuous coordination is being maintained with the police, army, Red Cross, and local mayors."

Considering the annual floods in Jhapa and the humanitarian crisis they cause, the Nepal Red Cross Society has made special preparations and arranged food storage in the lower riparian areas this year. Informing about this, Chairman of Nepal Red Cross Society, Jhapa, Lokraj Dhakal, said, "According to Red Cross data, more than eight thousand households in the district are at very high risk of floods. As we have faced significant human loss in previous years, this time we have placed special emphasis on early warning systems and local level activeness. More than 120 of our volunteers and first aid teams are on standby across the district with search and rescue equipment. Food and other relief materials have been stored in seven locations in the district for emergency situations. In coordination with local levels and security agencies, we have streamlined the management of safe shelters and relief materials."

Meanwhile, a special training was completed in Jhapa under the initiative of the Koshi Province Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Armed Police Force to enhance community-level disaster response capacity and make rescue operations effective. The training, which started on June 24, has trained 20 municipal police personnel from five municipalities in the district – Bhadrapur, Birtamod, Arjundhara, Mechinagar, and Kankai – to be skilled in community-level disaster management and rescue.