Kavrepalanchok District Faces High Risk of Monsoon-Induced Disasters with 479 Settlements in Danger

Kavrepalanchok. Due to monsoon-induced disasters, 479 settlements in 13 local levels of Kavrepalanchok are at high risk. The number of such settlements at risk was made public at a meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee on Monday. At the meeting, Assistant Chief District Officer Bholanath Guragain presented a report on the risk of settlements at the local level. According to the data presented by Guragain, 479 settlements are at high risk, 209 settlements are in open spaces, 192 settlements are in safe places, and helipads have also been arranged for rescue in 81 settlements.

At the meeting, Chief District Officer Gopal Kumar Adhikari said that settlements at high risk cannot be immediately relocated. He said, "Relocation is not possible in the current situation; these settlements can be kept under surveillance, and if a disaster causes damage, a 'quick response' can be made by local security personnel." According to him, there are not enough rescue materials in the district.

At the meeting, local levels have been requested to provide youth-targeted disaster response training and to purchase necessary materials as much as possible for relief and rescue after a disaster and to be in a state of readiness.

The committee has projected that the population could be affected by this year's monsoon-induced disasters based on the data of local level disaster management committees, representatives, and security personnel.

"Especially, citizens living around the coastal areas including Roshi, Sun Koshi, Indrawati, Punyamati, Jhikhu Khola, Dapcha Khola in the district are estimated to be affected by the floods and landslides this year. We have also been urging them to be vigilant," said Committee Coordinator and Chief District Officer Adhikari.

According to him, all 13 local levels of Kavrepalanchok are at high risk of floods and landslides. According to the data received by the committee from the local levels, Bethanchok Rural Municipality has the highest number of settlements at high risk with about 100, and the lowest is in Chauari Deurali Rural Municipality with five settlements. Similarly, Dhulikhel Municipality has 25, Banepa and Namobuddha Municipalities have 50 each, Panauti Municipality has 15, Mandan Deupur Municipality has 15, Temal Rural Municipality has 35, Roshi Rural Municipality has 12, Bhumlu Rural Municipality has 40, Khanikhola Rural Municipality has 30, and Mahabharat Rural Municipality has 19 families at risk of disaster.

Due to continuous rainfall on October 10, 11, and 12, 2081 BS, 78 people died in Kavrepalanchok due to floods and landslides, while 6 people were listed as missing. According to the office, 75 people were injured in the incident. The highest number of deaths in floods and landslides was 17 from Panauti Municipality. At that time, Panchkhal, Khanikhola, and Mahabharat among the 13 local levels of Kavrepalanchok did not suffer human casualties. In Kavrepalanchok, 33 women, 29 men, 9 boys, and 7 girls died due to floods and landslides. Among these, 21 were students.