Landslide and river blockage in Sindhupalchok District in Nepal

Nepal is among one of the least developed countries that has been exposed to multiple hazards and with one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Not only socio-economic factors, but also geological, topographical and climatic conditions expose Nepal to multiple hazards, most prominently earthquakes, floods, landslides, fires, thunderbolts, windstorms, hailstorm and avalanches. According to official disaster statistics, out of the total number of affected families, floods/landslides and wind-storms/hailstorms have affected the most damage followed by fires and epidemics.

Geographically, Nepal is a fragile country due to steep terrain, rugged and fragile geomorphic conditions, high peaks and slopes, volatile tectonic processes, variable climatic conditions, increasing population, poor economic status, unplanned settlements, low literacy rates and very rural topography. Disasters like earthquakes, floods, landslides, lighting, glaciers lake outburst floods, avalanches, and epidemics often occur with regularity causing enormous physical damages and loss of human life. In recent years, the effects of climate change have also contributed to increasing disaster events in Nepal.

Disasters can have negative impacts across a multitude of sectors; they can disrupt local markets and diminish individual economic security.  Disasters can also damage critical infrastructure (such as schools, hospitals or local health facilities, transportation systems).  Trained human resources (like health workers) are often individually affected by disaster preventing them from providing services to others in the community. Water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions after a disaster can greatly affect the level of impact on a community’s health. However, the conditions pre-disaster can be equally damaging.  The healthier the community and the more resources it has before a disaster strikes, the greater resilience that community will show.  Nepal is one of the 20th most disaster-prone countries in the world.  It is ranked 11th in terms of risk from earthquake, 30th in terms of risk from flood, and a study conducted by the World Bank in 2005 classified Nepal as one of the global “hot-spots” for natural disaster.     

Landslide blocked the Sunkoshi River, one of tributaries of Koshi River at 02:30 AM on 2 August 2014. The landslide created about 400 meter high earthen dam across the river that has completely blocked the river. The rescue team form different agencies are immediately activated. District Disaster Rescue Committee's Chair, chief of district officer, Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) District Chapter's president, Nepal army, Nepal Police, Arm police force and other Red Cross volunteers were reached at affected area. Security forces taken 8 dead body out from the landslide area. Preliminary report shows that more than 70 house are still buried under the landslide and more than 10 houses washed away. The security forces such as Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police were mobilized more than 750 personnel to open the virtual northern dam from the river and maintain the river course. Mankha ward no -1, Ramche ward no -5, Tekanpur ward no -4, Dhuskun  village development committees are the mostly affected areas by this landslide. More than 11 districts along with the people living at downstream areas are in high risk. The Nepal Government has already declared these areas as high risk zone and evacuation of people from these area are ongoing. In case the dam burst out, Sindhupalchowk, Kavre, Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Udyapur, Sunsari, Saptari districts may have greater impact with huge loss of lives, properties and infrastructures downstream. Nepal Red Cross has kept its' first responders national disaster response team, district disaster response team, CADRE and First aid team on standby in Bhaktapur, Kavre and Sindhupalchwok districts for immediately deployment. Likewise, the central warehouse has already dispatched None food relief material sets to Sindhupalchowk district which will be sufficient for 100 affected persons. Rapid assessment team is having problem to gaining access due to continuous raining on these areas.  

 “I was very interested to reach to the China boarder therefore I went to the Sindhupalchok district where encounter with a disaster though, this is my first visit to Nepal. It was 2:30 in the morning. I heard a huge uproar and deafening sound. I thought it was thunder, but it wasn't. Suddenly there was a huge pressure there and I felt like wall was pushing me. Later the house owners I was living with came out to see me. I escape from this landslide but I lost belongings, including passport.” Van Bruyssel Antony-Belgian National

 (Source: Nepal Red Cross updates report and the Kathmandu Post, a national daily newspaper)

Landslide in Sankhuwasabha District

Five people have died and another five are missing after a landslide hit Syabun village development committee ward no-3 in Fachyang of Sankhuwashabha district on Monday. According to District Police Office head, Kamal Thapa, the landslide happened at around 3 am and buried the houses of Kritiman Koirala, Purna Koirala and Meharman Koirala. The bodies found were identified as those of Kritiman Koirala, his wife Devimaya and his daughter Tulsa; Purna Koirala’s son Prajjwal; and Meharman Koirala. Purna Koirala, his wife Samjhana, father Indra and son Ratna; and Meharman Koirala’s wife Kumari are missing, according to Thapa. According to news reporter, another 10 houses in Fachyang village remain at risk from another landslide, local resident Thir Bahadur Rai said. Personnel from Bana Police Office, Armed Police Force, Nepal Army and locals have been deployed in search and rescue efforts. With rescue operations ongoing, the full impact of the landslide has not yet been ascertained, Thapa told. (Source: Nepalnews.com)