by Kalpit Parajuli

Entire zones of the country are without drinking water and electricity: relief work is impeded by the lack of infrastructure and air support. Among the possible causes of the tragedy the system of barrages along the Indian border which block water runoff.

Kathmandu (AsiaNews) – Nepal has been brought to its knees by the floods and mudslides provoked by torrential rain causing scores of victims, destroying entire areas of housing and wiping out crops: so far over 40 people have been killed by the floods and subsequent landslides, but that number is due to rise further because over a third of the population (42 districts out of a total of 75) are at risk of starvation due to lack of access to food.

Thousands are now homeless, their dwellings washed away or flooded by the rising waters and the situation is deteriorating: in the worst hit areas – the entire region of Terai, in the South of the country – land and air travel have been stopped, there is no electricity or drinking water, schools and offices are closed and almost all crops have been destroyed.  Terai is the country’s main agricultural areas.  In centre west Bardia, there is no news regarding the fate of almost 30 thousand people: the rains have destroyed transmitters interrupting communication.

For over a week now floods have been wracking the country and the situation is not set to improve in the immediate future: the national metrological office has forecast further heavy rain over the coming days.  In the western district of Banke 4 people died from snake bites; the reptiles are fleeing their nests flooded by water.  In Dang city in Terai, a further 4 bodies were found drowned in the floods, while police miraculously succeeded in hauling to safety a bus carrying over 100 people, avoiding yet another tragedy.

Added to deaths due to drowning is a rampant diarrhoea epidemic which has killed 7 people so far, but destined to kill many more given that the water system has been polluted, while those living on the Indian border are fleeing across the frontier is search of relief.

Faced with this calamity the interim parliament which leads the country until the next elections has decided to give over 5 days of its own wage to help victim’s families and relief operations.

In the meantime studies into the cause of the tragedy have begun, revealing that the recent floods are not the only catalyst: many fingers are being pointed against India, guilty of having built numerous barrages along its border with Nepal.  These blocks impeded the flow of run off water, creating outright walls which resulted in the flooding over surrounding low lying areas.

• NEPAL
• FLOODS
• MUDSLIDES
• VICTIMS
• INDIA
• BARRAGES
• RAIN
• RELIEF
• SNAKES