Kathmandu, Sept 3: Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal has briefed the international missions in Nepal on the recent Bhotekoshi flash flood and subsequent efforts Nepal made to cope with the tragedy.
The chiefs of diplomatic missions, including ambassadors and representatives from various countries, and representatives of the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and UN agencies were shared information on the disaster on Thursday.
Minister Khanal informed them in detail on the devastations caused on corridors of Bhotekoshi and Trishuli Rivers within minutes of flash flood occurred in Bhotekoshi on Nepal-China border on August 26, search and rescue efforts launched by the government, status of the foreign nationals and international assistance received so far.
He reiterated that government had accorded top priority to the protection of citizens’ lives, search for the missing ones, rescue of the trapped people and stranded persons. Safety of the foreign nationals in need is also given equal priority, according to him. “I would like to term this catastrophic incident a ‘Himalayan tsunami’ because we had never witnessed such unprecedented disaster,” Khanal said, adding that it decimated the human settlements and infrastructures on Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors.
The floods cascaded down from the northern border ran through Rasuwa and Nuwakot caused severe impacts up to the settlements down to Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan. The government is conducting a study on factors behind the disaster. Even the technical expertise is being received for it, he added.
The calamity of this scale was not faced earlier, Minister Khanal said, informing that government began search, research and relocation of those in emergency immediately after the floods. The treatment of the injured ones and relief distribution has been forwarded accordingly. Available resources were mobilized immediately as the disaster response by holding an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers and of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
According to the Foreign Minister, all security agencies, three tiers of government, health workers, medicos, emergency rescue workers, volunteers and local communities were involved in continuous rescue and relief distribution. Over 2,100 security persons have been mobilized for search, rescue and distribution of humanitarian aid.
Nepal government has given top priority to the security and welfare of the foreign nationals, he made it clear in the briefing. Continuous coordination is established among NDRRMA, the Nepal Police, the Nepal Tourism Board, Nepali missions abroad and families of the foreign nationals. An emergency control room set up at Foreign Ministry and Nepali missions abroad are working untiringly to provide information to the families of missing foreign nationals, facilitating identification process and assisting those willing to return homes.
The Minister extended gratitude to representatives of diplomatic missions for providing details on their missing citizens so that it would help in identification and search efforts. The solidarity and assistance provided by the international community at such critical time will be significant for Nepal, according to him.
Khanal expresses thanks to India, China, South Korea, Japan, the USA, the UAE, Qatar, Singapore, Australia, the UK, Germany, Latvia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Norway, Israel, Canada, Sri Lanka, Thailand and New Zealand. Also in line deserving gratitude are European Union, ADB, World Bank, UN agencies and friendly countries for their support.
“Nepal has received expertise, equipment, logistics, doctors, forensic aid and financial assistance as part of the foreign aid. Each of these assistance counts much for disaster response in the affected areas,” he said.
Even the Prime Minister inspected the disaster-hit areas and took stock of the scale of devastation’s. “My own visit to the affected area showed the field has in deed a serious state. Preliminary evaluation of the destroyed infrastructures including houses and bridges is going on. The need for the reconstruction would be based on the post-disaster assessment.”
The detailed evaluation on the loss and damage and need for reconstruction would be shared to the international development partners through official channel. The use of international aid would be made transparent and accountable, according to him. The monetary assistance is being mobilized through Prime Minister Disaster Relief and Rescue Fund, the Minister explained.
Links to climate change impact
Minister Khanal argued the Bhotekoshi disaster can not be treated as a standalone case but with its links to climate change hazard in the Himalayan region. This tragedy has laid bare the sensitivity of Himalayan region, special risk in mountainous countries and increasing impacts of climate change. “Irrespective of its negligible role in greenhouse gas emission, Nepal has been disproportionately suffering the climate change impact. To this, Nepal has been drawing global attention and even held the first edition of the Sagarmatha Sambad. Entire world is made aware on the challenges of mountains through Nepal’s climate commitments,” he stated before foreign representatives.
Nepal has immediately written to the co-chairs of Loss and Damage Fund. Although Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts suffered much in the floods, rest of Nepal is safe and open. The tourist destinations like Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lumbini, Chitwan, Janakpur, the Annapurna Region, the Sagarmatha Region and Bardiya are open and ready to welcome tourists.
Minister Khanal urged the chiefs and representatives of the foreign diplomatic missions to given a message to their citizens and governments that Nepal is safe. “Nepal is open and ready to welcome visitors with same warmth and hospitality,” he reminded.
With the mobilization of all national resources at such hour of grief, Nepal wants to continue close cooperation with the international partners and inform diplomatic community regularly on the disaster. “We will rise stronger together,” Khanal vowed.
