Nepal: FWR/MWR Floods and Landslides Situation Report No. 1

This report was issued by UN OCHA Nepal. It covers the period from October 4 - 8 2009.

HIGHLIGHTS

- Ten districts in the Mid and Far Western Regions have been affected by the floods and landslides caused by four days of continuous rain;

- More than 40 deaths have been recorded, but the impact of landslides has been most felt in Accham (20 deaths) and Dadeldhura (12 deaths) districts, and that of the floods in Kailali and Kanchanpur districts (source: NRCS);

- More than 3,000 families and 18,000 individuals have been affected, and at least 1,000 families have been displaced (source: NRCS);

- Regional and district level resources can meet current emergency needs and the District Disaster Relief Committees are coordinating efforts in all affected districts;

- Damage to roads and telecommunication systems have obstructed search and rescue efforts, especially in hilly and mountainous districts and remote VDCs in Terai districts.

- Over the past 24 hours rains have decreased and water levels in many rivers receded.

I. Situation Overview

At least ten districts in the far- and mid-western regions have been affected by the heavy rains which started in the far-western districts and moved eastward. More than 40 deaths have been reported up to now, including 12 in Dadeldhura district, and 20 in Accham district (source: NRCS).

The amount of rainfall was especially high in Doti and Dadeldhura districts, where it reached 245.7 mm and 227.4 mm respectively in a 24-hour period (Meteorological Forecasting Division website). As a result, streams, rivers and drainage systems flooded. In Banke disrtrict, the Rapti River water level reportedly reached a record 7.3m in the Khusum area on October 7, leaving several people stranded in the river for more than 12 hours while they waited for a rescue team.

Many of the roads in the FWR hilly districts have reportedly been blocked by landslides, thereby obstructing rescue and relief work. The situation in Kailali and Kanchanpur was also severe, especially in the flooded southern VDCs. By the evening of October 7th, however, the rains had stopped in most districts, and the water level of some of the rivers started to recede.

Although the District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC) has initiated search and rescue relief efforts in most affected districts, in a number of districts access to affected people has been obstructed by the landslides and flooding. Damage to the telecommunications system in the hilly districts also made it difficult to gather information. No information could be obtained from Bhajang and Darchula districts, but they have also reportedly been affected by the heavy rainfall.