Rethinking disaster management in Nepal: Lessons from this monsoon

In the early hours of 12 July 2024, two buses tragically plunged into the Trishuli River at Simaltal, Chitwan, claiming several lives and testing Nepal’s disaster response capacity. Within hours, 52 trained members of Nepal's Armed Police Force (APF), along with more than 200 personnel deployed in rescue operations, arrived at the scene and started their work. However, in a move that has become all too familiar, the government sought international assistance, which led to the deployment of 12 personnel equipped with advanced technology like sonar systems and magnets—tools that Nepal lacked—for search operations.

The result? The APF divers, operating with limited equipment, outperformed the foreign team in terms of efficiency. The incident exposed the fact that Nepal's disaster response often relies on foreign assistance, even when capable local teams exist. This tendency raises critical questions about the country's dependency mindset and its failure to empower its own disaster management infrastructure. Despite facing frequent natural disasters—earthquakes, floods, landslides, and more—the country has yet to establish a comprehensive, well-resourced, and functional system, not just a lame institution, for disaster preparedness and response. 

International assistance can be a lifeline in moments of crisis, but relying all the time on it as the primary solution exposes Nepal's willingness and ability to protect its citizens. 

What the Simaltal incident teaches us

The Simaltal incident is a reminder of the need to shift our focus from reactive measures to proactive disaster management. If we are to quickly scan the current DRR regime in Nepal, at least five key actions can be said to be crucial to correcting our past mistakes and building a resilient DRRM system.

Firstly, let’s not just enjoy doing one after another workshops for response planning in star hotels. Instead, the Ministry of Home Affairs must invest in modern equipment and technology disaster risk reduction measures. The Study says if we invest 1 USD in preparedness, we could save 7 USD in post-disaster management. 

The APF divers’ performance highlighted their courage and commitment, but it also exposed the limitations of working without advanced equipment. The tools brought by the foreign rescue divers--such as sonar systems for underwater detection--are not luxuries but necessities for modern disaster response. Nepal must invest in acquiring and maintaining such equipment, along with training personnel in their use. 

 

Second, the Ministry will be at ease if it invests in empowering and equipping national forces and local governments. Nepal has competent agencies like the APF and Nepal Army, yet their potential is undermined by a lack of resources. We must provide these agencies with continuous training, better infrastructure, and the authority to act autonomously in times of disaster. Local governments, too, need to be integrated into the national disaster preparedness framework, enabling them to take the lead in disaster-prone areas.

Third, given the advancement in technology, we must invest to fully develop a robust multi-hazards early warning system. Let me bring up a case. The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology had projected above-normal rainfall for this year. By mid-monsoon, 70 percent of the rainfall had already occurred and by early August an average of 90 percent rainfall had been recorded. Early warnings are even more critical, where every second matters for saving lives and properties. 

On July 6, several villages in Bagmati and Lumbi were flooded due to heavy rainfall a day before (on July 5) and Kanchanpur of Sudurpaschim recorded 624 mm of rainfall in 24 hours which is extremely heavy rainfall.  The news media had published warning news including expert interviews two days in advance citing weather forecasts, but the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) failed to act promptly. All it did was upload an awareness song on its website only by late afternoon on July 6. 

The lack of an effective early warning system has exacerbated the impact of disasters in several such cases, including during the Bhotekoshi floods in 2016 and the recent Thame floods in Solukhumbu. Nepal needs a comprehensive, tech-enabled early warning system that can provide real-time data on natural hazards such as floods and landslides. One that is now run by the Department of Hydrology and Metrology (DHM) requires a massive upgrade in its current EWS

Fourth, it is time we prioritize Disaster-Resilient Infrastructure given the losses we have already faced with the multi-million-dollar Melamchi project constructed on ADB loan. Whether it's flood barriers, earthquake-resistant buildings, or safe roadways in landslide-prone areas, investments in infrastructure can dramatically reduce both the human and economic toll of disasters. Nepal’s geography is challenging, but modern engineering can mitigate these risks if prioritized. A  flood in the Koshi basin, for example, could wipe away investment made in the Hydropower sector (some already in construction, some in pipeline) worth over US 10bn. Climate-proofing this investment makes a business case.

Finally, Nepal needs to roll up its sleeves and work hard to institutionalize preparedness and response through policy and governance. Not much progress has been made in this sector despite the substantive support from international partners. 

The unfortunate reality is that the Ministry has no information on the impact of the 36 projects implemented in areas like DRR and urban resilience with donor's money. This reflects a potential misuse of donor funds.

While Nepal has made progress in policy-making, including setting up of NDRRMA, the implementation often falls short. It lacks full authority like the one enjoyed by India’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). This also means creating a clear chain of command during emergencies. During the Simaltal tragedy, the state was in a doldrum as the parties were busy flexing muscles to form a new government. A strong NDRRMA would have come into action irrespective of any change in the political equation in Kathmandu. 

 All these failed disaster responses that we witness every monsoon, therefore, should not be remembered only for its loss of life but as a wake-up call. If Nepal fails to learn from these repeated incidents, we risk falling into the same trap of reactionary measures that only exacerbate the loss and damage.