KATHMANDU – A total of 12,000 people were killed in natural disasters in the last seven years, while on average 500 people lose their lives annually due to natural disasters in Nepal.
According to a data of National Emergency Center under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), 12,233 people were killed in the past seven years and 26,453 were injured and 1,000 others disappeared. Every year, around 500 people die of natural disasters such as flood and landslides, earthquake, fire, lightning strike, storms, hailstone, cold wave and avalanche.
A total of 730 were killed in landslides in last seven years and 239 were disappeared. Similarly, 655 died and 453 were disappeared due to floods during the same period.
Likewise, 475 were killed by fire, 116 died of cold wave and 95 died due to epidemics, according to the MoHA. On average, over 100 people died in lightning strike annually, while 773 were killed by lightning in last seven years.
Thirty-two people were killed and 18 disappeared in avalanche. A total of 35 persons were killed in boat capsize and 42 were disappeared. Heavy rains killed 55 and while 37 lost their lives in storms.
Flash floods killed 43 and 32 were disappeared while 33 died of high altitude sickness. Two were killed in bridge collapse and one was disappeared. Thirty-three drowned in river and 15 disappeared.
According to a report of National Reconstruction Authority, 286 villages of 18 districts are at prone to landslides. Fourteen districts were badly affected by 2015 earthquake. Out of 14 districts, 12 districts apart from Kathmandu and Bhaktapur are at high risk of landslides. These districts are Gorkha, Dhading, Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Kavrepalanchowk, Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Okhaldhunga, Makwanpur, Lalitpur, Chitwan, Tanahu, Lamjung, Solukhumbu, Syangja, Parbat and Gulmi.
Nepal is 11th earthquake vulnerable country in the world while it is 30th in flood damages of the world.
The government has managed helicopters of Nepal Army in Itahari and Surkhet in order to mobilize rescue operation.
The Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers released Rs 2 billion on Wednesday for distributing relief materials and rescue operation. Presently, Prime Minister’s Natural Disaster Relief Fund has Rs 4.16 billion.
