Nepal: At Least 193 Killed in Floods and Landslides

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Facts

  • At least 193 people were killed in Nepal over the weekend after heavy rain triggered floods and landslides across the Himalayan nation, local authorities said on Monday.[1]
  • In a statement, police added that 31 people were still reported missing while 96 people were injured.[1]
  • The flooding followed record-breaking rainfall. Shanti Kandel, a meteorologist at Nepal's Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, said: 'The data recorded this [Sunday] morning by nine stations in Kathmandu is the highest in the past 54 years.' Nepal began collecting such data in 1970.[2]
  • On Monday, as Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli returned from UN General Assembly meetings in New York, his office said an emergency meeting had been called.[1]
  • Meanwhile, the home minister announced that temporary shelters would be built for those who lost their homes and that financial help would be given to the families of those who lost loved ones or were injured.[1]
  • Earlier, officials announced that all branches of the country's security forces, including the army, were ordered to help with rescue efforts.[3]

Sources: [1]Associated Press, [2]Climatecentre and [3]Guardian.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by BBC News. While the monsoon season brings floods and landslides to Nepal every year, scientists said that climate change is exacerbating the problem as the rainfall has become worse each year in the Himalayan nation. It's vital to address the existential climate threat immediately.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Fiscal Nepal. This recent flooding underscores the urgent need for stronger infrastructure and disaster preparedness. While climate change may have worsened rainfall in this tragedy, a lack of disaster preparedness and climate-resilient infrastructure is the pressing tactical issue that must be addressed.

Predictions