Myagdi-Kagbeni(Nepal): Excavation efforts are underway in Kagbeni, the settlement entombed by floods alongside Ledo and Gegran, following a torrential downpour on Sunday. Over 100 local search and rescue teams, comprising 20 Nepal Police members, 20 Armed Police personnel, and 40 Nepal Army members, have tirelessly worked for two days to unearth the flood-drenched religious and tourist haven of Kagbeni.
The Disaster Management Committee in Mustang revealed that the ongoing tasks encompass the removal of frozen debris from impaired houses, edifices, and hotels. The teams are also actively engaged in salvaging valuables from destroyed establishments, while diligently identifying and safeguarding residences and structures that lie submerged.
Chief District Officer Anup KC, who also holds the chairmanship of the District Disaster Management Committee, has approximated that clearing the accumulated debris in Kagbeni might extend over a month. He conveyed, "Our preliminary objective is to restore partially damaged houses and render them habitable."
Trail of Destruction: Impacts and Recovery Measures
On Sunday evening, a deluge engulfed Kagbeni in Baragung Muktikshetra rural municipality-4, reducing 29 public and private buildings, including hotels and restaurants, to ruins. Thirteen houses sustained partial damage, and the catastrophe ravaged a concrete motor bridge, an excavator, nine motorcycles, two jeeps, a suspension bridge, and three wooden bridges. Notably, Kagbeni's dual identity as a Hindu pilgrimage site and a tourist magnet had prompted the use of private dwellings for hospitality establishments.
The Baragung Mukti Kshetra Rural Municipality has provided shelter and sustenance for around one hundred displaced individuals who had lost their homes. Meanwhile, the District Disaster Management Committee of Mustang disclosed that laborers from distant regions, employed in Kagbeni, are being accommodated in the communal building of Gharpazhong Rural Municipality in Jomsom.
Transportation Woes: Jomsom-Korola Road Blockade
A four-day blockade grips the Jomsom-Korola road due to the wreckage of the motor bridge and roadway from flooding. Continuous rainfall over the preceding weekend culminated in a Kaligandaki River surge, erasing the access route of Chailegate motor bridge, connecting Chuksang of Baragung Mukti Kshetra Gapa and Chaile of Loghekar Damodarkund rural municipality.
Further exacerbating transportation predicaments, Kagkhola's floodwaters ravaged Kagbeni bridge, while Ghamikhola in Loghekar Damodarkund rural municipality suffered the loss of its culvert. Consequently, the Jomsom-Korola thoroughfare remains impassable. Traffic had initially been suspended for a day after Kaligandaki River's assault on the Jomsom-Kagbeni section of the road, followed by a diversion that lasted two days. This year's monsoon has exacted a toll on the Mustang's upper regions, hindering vehicular movement at several points.
Nighttime Halts: Traffic Curfew on Myagdi Section of Beni-Jomsom Road
The Myagdi portion of the Beni-Jomsom route, a crucial link between Mustang and the national highway, undergoes a nightly traffic curfew. The Kaligandaki Corridor (Beni-Jomsom-Korla) from Raghuganga Rural Municipality-3 of Myagdi to Galeshwar in Annapurna Rural Municipality-3 Kavre, is restricted during night hours due to landslide concerns.
The District Administration Office of Myagdi issued a notice calling for a temporary halt to traffic in the Galeshwar-Dana section during the rainy season. The chief concerns include potential rockfalls, landslides, and riverbank erosion. Chief District Officer Tulsiram Paudel underscored the decision's aim to preempt accidents stemming from landslides and erosion.
Kagbeni's Darkened Days: Enduring Three Days of Blackout Amidst Flooding
Dhorpatan: Kagbeni, nestled within the flood-stricken territory of Baragung Mukti Kshetra rural municipality-4, has grappled with a three-day power outage, plunging locals into darkness. Sunday's inundation shattered several electric poles along the riverbank, triggering the electrical disruption. Restoration endeavors to repair damaged poles and wires for electricity operations are ongoing.
Nilgiri Upbhokta Sahakari is spearheading the power distribution restoration within the afflicted region. The cooperative's efforts include deploying workers for maintenance and repair tasks, with a view to preventing further disruptions.
Water Woes: Recovery of Water Supply Operations
As part of the rehabilitation process, the water supply, previously interrupted by flooding, is set to be reinstated. Following restoration efforts, water supply operations resumed in Pari village, subsequently expanding to cover all affected areas. Local residents had resorted to consuming water from original and nearby rivers, given the halt in water supply.
Prazia KC elaborated on the cooperative's commitment to effective work and safety measures. Efforts to repair poles and wires have been ongoing since dawn, with the priority of ensuring uninterrupted water supply to the beleaguered populace.
Recent events have underscored the necessity of a comprehensive and proactive approach to disaster preparedness. The Kagbeni disaster, stemming from natural calamities exacerbated by human activities, necessitates a reexamination of risk assessment and mitigation strategies. The government's disaster risk reduction endeavors, focused primarily on high-risk districts like Sindhupalchok, demand a recalibration to encompass unanticipated geographical and climatic changes.
Kagbeni's tragedy serves as a poignant reminder of the need for coordinated multi-agency disaster management efforts. The ongoing degradation of natural ecosystems due to development, coupled with the mounting impacts of climate change, has intensified the frequency and severity of disasters. Effective disaster risk reduction mandates a harmonious blend of environmental conservation and urban development.
As the recovery process unfolds in Kagbeni, the affected community's plight and the tumultuous events of the flood underscore the urgency of sustainable development and preparedness measures for a future fraught with uncertainties.
