Nepal braces for a potentially devastating monsoon season, with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) estimating over 1.8 million people could be affected.
“This year’s monsoon is expected to bring increased rainfall, impacting a significant portion of the population,” said Dr. Dijan Bhattarai, NDRRMA spokesperson.
The authority estimates that over 1.81 million individuals from 412,000 households will be affected in various ways. This includes 83,000 families anticipated to face direct impacts and a staggering 18,000 families potentially requiring rescue and relief efforts.
These figures are considerably higher compared to previous years, with 1.2 million and 2 million people estimated to be affected in 2023 and 2022 respectively.
The heightened risk stems from projections by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, indicating a 35 to 55 percent chance of receiving above-average rainfall this monsoon.
“In response to this increased threat, all relevant agencies have been instructed to prepare for potential emergencies,” Dr. Bhattarai emphasized.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has already developed a National Action Plan for Monsoon Preparedness and Response, which is currently being implemented to ensure a coordinated response to any monsoon-related disasters.
