Kathmandu, Sep 10: Nepal will require an estimated NPR 723.315 billion (Rs 72,331.5 crore or USD 4.74 billion) for reconstruction and recovery following the devastating floods that struck the Bhotekoshi River corridor in Rasuwa and other districts on August 26, according to a government assessment.
The estimate is based on a Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) prepared jointly by the National Planning Commission and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.
The floods have caused a massive human toll, with 1,377 people killed and 5,130 still missing as of 11 am Thursday. The disaster also inflicted extensive damage on infrastructure along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors.
The infrastructure sector suffered the largest share of the damage, with NPR 473.572 billion (USD 3.1 billion), or about 75 per cent of the total recovery requirement, estimated for its restoration.
The energy sector has been particularly badly affected. The floods damaged 13 hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 759 MW and five solar plants with a total capacity of 24 MW. The government estimates that NPR 390.623 billion (USD 2.56 billion) will be needed to restore energy and power-grid systems.
Meanwhile, 917 people associated with 11 hydropower projects in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli corridors remain out of contact, according to the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN). Rescue teams are continuing efforts to ascertain whether some of them could be trapped inside hydropower tunnels.
The disaster also severely damaged Nepal’s transport infrastructure. Around 69 km of roads were damaged, while 33 motorable bridges were washed away and four others suffered partial damage. Of the 64 suspension bridges in the affected areas, 53 were damaged.
The assessment puts the requirement for restoring transport infrastructure at NPR 73.343 billion (USD 481 million).
The floods also damaged 7,570 private houses, 48 public buildings, 18 schools, seven health facilities and 30 cultural heritage sites across Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, Gorkha and Chitwan districts. The recovery requirement for the social sector has been estimated at NPR 103.55 billion.
The productive sector, covering trade, businesses, banking and agriculture, has also suffered substantial losses. The floods affected 1,806 hectares of agricultural land, 17 bank branches and around 4,800 business establishments. Its recovery is estimated to require NPR 50.775 billion.
Bidur Municipality in Nuwakot recorded the highest number of damaged houses among the affected local governments, with 3,026 homes affected.
The government has estimated another NPR 94.753 billion for disaster risk reduction and river management, while NPR 515.4 million will be required for clearing mud and debris.
The RDNA has divided the reconstruction process into short- and long-term phases. It estimates that NPR 8.735 billion will be needed over the next six months for immediate relief and short-term reconstruction.
A further NPR 714.58 billion will be required for long-term reconstruction, underscoring the enormous financial challenge facing the government and affected communities.
The Prime Minister’s Secretariat said the overall requirement of NPR 723.315 billion reflects the scale of destruction caused by the floods and the extensive reconstruction needed across affected sectors.
