Nepal's devastating flood exposes the risks of resettling disaster survivors, Pg18

Key Highlights:

• A temporary settlement in Khalte village, Nepal, established for 2015 earthquake survivors, was wiped out by floods on August 26, with at least 575 people reported missing.
• The village was located in a narrow valley along the Trishuli river, a site later classified as a "red zone" due to landslide and avalanche risks.
• Nepal has experienced significant displacement over the past decade from earthquakes, landslides, and floods, often leading to resettlement in vulnerable areas.
• The Nepalese government plans to build a new city for flood victims, incorporating industries, hospitals, and schools, and is considering private sector involvement in reconstruction.
• The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) emphasizes the need for better coordination among agencies for disaster risk incorporation into planning.

Detailed Insights:

• The 2015 Gorkha earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people and displaced many, leading to relocation plans like the one for Khalte.
• Survivors from Khalte expressed concerns about being forced to resettle in unsafe locations and emphasized the need for access to essential services like schools and healthcare in new settlements.
• The government aims to identify safe land for new settlements, assess land use, and declare flood-prone areas uninhabitable.
• Converting vulnerable riverbanks into forest land is also being considered to mitigate flood risks.
• Nepal's mountainous terrain is highly susceptible to sudden floods caused by landslides and Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), a risk exacerbated by rising temperatures.
• Existing measures like river monitoring and early-warning systems need strengthening, especially in remote mountain valleys.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Red Zone: An area identified as having high geological risks, such as landslides or avalanches, making it unsafe for habitation.
• Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF): A sudden release of water from a glacial lake, often caused by the failure of natural dams, leading to catastrophic downstream flooding.
• Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): A systematic approach to identifying, assessing, and reducing the risks of disaster, involving prevention, mitigation, and preparedness.