Submit your Article

The government has said that the reconstruction of the road infrastructure damaged by the recent floods and landslides will cost Rs 12.38 billion, given first priority to restoring the damaged roads.

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport stated that an estimated Rs 10.68 billion will be required for reconstruction of the major highways, alternative roads, Bailey bridge and permanent bridges damaged due to the monsoon-induced disasters.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, and Urban Development Kulman Ghising has said that subordinate agencies are working with the first priority on restoring roads damaged and blocked due to floods and landslides.

Also the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Ghising, said that manpower along with equipment has been deployed to operate the blocked road as soon as possible.

He stated that manpower along with equipment has been deployed to operate the blocked road as soon as possible.

The recent flood has caused significant damage to the Mechi Highway. It is estimated that Rs 1.5 billion will be required for the reconstruction of this highway.

Similarly, the government estimates that it will cost Rs 3.77 billion to rebuild the damaged Koshi, Mid-Hill, Postal, Araniko, Kanti, Narayanghat-Muglin and other highways.

According to Minister Ghising's private secretariat, the government has estimated that it will cost Rs 4.52 billion to rebuild 17 damaged bridges, Rs 800 million to install Bailey bridges, and Rs 1.59 billion for the maintenance of alternative roads.

Continuous rainfall on Oct 4 and 5 inflicted widespread damage to major highways, bridges and culverts across eastern and central Nepal, severely disrupting transportation and connectivity.

According to the Department of Roads (DoR), the Mechi Highway of Koshi Province and BP Highway of Bagmati Province have suffered the most extensive damage due to floods and landslides. “Four bridges and dozens of culverts  have been destroyed by floods and landslides triggered by heavy downpour,” said Engineer Prabhat Kumar Jha, spokesperson for the DoR. 

He added that more than 250 landslides have been recorded along 80 major highways so far. “Even if funding is made available today, it will take at least two to three years to stabilize these slopes and rebuild the damaged infrastructure,” he said, estimating a cost of around Rs 20bn for the restoration work.

While a full assessment is still underway, preliminary reports show that a permanent bridge and two bailey bridges along the Mechi Corridor, an under-construction bridge over the Sanomai River on the Mechi Highway, and one bridge along the Hulaki Highway were either swept away or critically damaged.

Apart from Mechi and BP highways, several other major roads—including the Prithvi Highway, Hulaki Highway, Mid-Hills Highway, Kanti Highway and Araniko Highway in Koshi and Bagmati provinces, have sustained partial or complete damage. Some sections are operating one-way, while others remain completely blocked.

“The immediate focus is on reopening roads and ensuring movement of vehicles,” Jha said. “Reconstructing permanent bridges and restoring roads to their original condition will take time.”

The DoR has requested the Ministry of Finance for emergency funds to clear debris and start temporary restoration. It also plans to seek the release of money from the Road Board, where over Rs 100bn remains unspent. The department intends to use Rs 20 billion from that amount specifically for landslide prevention and highway stabilization projects. “We face the same problems every monsoon. Without proper preventive measures, the damage will only worsen in the coming years,” Jha said.

Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal said that the government would mobilize its own resources and, if necessary, seek international assistance for reconstruction and rehabilitation. The government is also preparing to install about 10 new bailey bridges in critical sections to restore connectivity in the short term.

Most parts of Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces and some western parts of Gandaki Province will witness the influence of western winds, while rest of the areas will experience weak monsoon and local winds, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology stated today.

This afternoon, there will generally be cloudy weather in the hilly regions including Koshi, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces and partly cloudy weather in the Tarai.

There is a possibility of moderate rain with thunder and lightning in some parts of Koshi, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces.

Similarly, tonight, there will be partly cloudy weather in the hilly regions including Koshi and Madhes Provinces, while the weather will be mainly clear in the remaining areas.

There is a possibility of light rain in one or two places in the hilly regions of Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces, according to the daily weather bulletin issued by the department this morning.

A recent international report has documented appalling levels of child abuse and sexual exploitation in South Asia, and Nepal is one of the countries most vulnerable to this. It is estimated that nearly one in eight children in South Asia has been sexually assaulted or raped before the age of 18, as reported by the Childlight Global Child Safety Institute. The institute estimated that in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and India, 12.5 percent of children, a total of 54m, have been sexually victimized, including 14.5 percent of girls and 11.5 percent of boys.

The study, Into The Light and published on Tuesday, was conducted by Childlight, a global child safety institute based at the University of Edinburgh and the University of New South Wales. It warns that behind the closed doors of their homes, a “human tragedy” is unfolding across the region, with millions of children subjected to both physical and online sex abuse.

In addition to sexual exploitation, the report highlights a staggering rise in cyber child exploitation, including a 1,325 percent rise in poisonous AI-created content during the past year, such as “deepfake” images that overlay children’s faces on pornographic images. The research is being demonstrated this week in New Delhi and Kerala, where Childlight is collaborating with Indian police at the region’s largest cybersecurity conference, c0c0n, to enhance digital defenses and locate abusers.

India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan lead the country in the most child sexual abuse material (CSAM), according to data reported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and INHOPE. NCMEC reported more than 2.2m cases in India, 1.1m in Bangladesh, and 1m in Pakistan in 2024 alone. Adjusted for population, the Maldives had the highest in the region’s CSAM rate at 94 cases per 10,000 people, followed by Bangladesh (64.1), Pakistan (41.3), Bhutan (41), Afghanistan (28.9), Sri Lanka (27.8), Nepal (19.4), and India (15.5).

Childlight CEO Paul Stanfield, a previous director of INTERPOL, called the results a worldwide emergency. “Abuse is nearer than folks imagine. Millions of children’s lives are being ruined by physical and sexual abuse online. It is preventable, and all of us can and must intervene to stop it,” he stated.

In Nepal, Anil Raghuvanshi of ChildSafeNet called on governments and tech business leaders to take action. “Children become increasingly exposed to abuse and exploitation on the internet. Governments and technology companies should take action at once with effective protections and sufficient resources. Not safeguarding children is not fulfilling their duties,” he said.

South Asian survivors also provided the same message. Saanika Kodial (14) of Mumbai, who survived online sexual abuse, is now campaigning with the Brave Movement. “Survivors are made to feel guilty and ashamed. Speaking their words does not make them the villain. There will always exist individuals who trust and believe them,” she said.

Childlight is urging governments to enact stronger legislation, faster removal of abuse content and education schemes that equip children and professionals with Internet safety skills. It also praised India for its blanket publication of child sexual exploitation data, which enables it to track trends and construct response mechanisms.

Official data show that police-reported incidents of child sexual exploitation in India rose from 54,359 in 2021 to 64,469 in 2022, while in Pakistan the number roughly doubled from 1,546 to 2,954.

Stanfield outlined that even though the figures are deeply troubling, availability of data can lead to solutions. “The transparency of the data allows governments and law enforcement to target interventions and spur reporting,” he added.

Survivor campaigner Rhiannon-Faye McDonald, groomed online and raped at 13, criticized technology companies for caring little about user safety. “Technology companies have long prioritized profit over safety. For victims, the harm is lifelong. Anybody who thinks it’s ‘just a photo’ should understand that the harm is lasting and deep,” she said.

The report concludes that while child sexual exploitation across South Asia, including Nepal, is rampant, it is not inevitable. Through coordinated regional efforts, stronger governance, and advocacy from survivors, Childlight contends millions of children’s futures can still be protected.