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New Delhi: The devastating flood that occurred in Nepal last week has left a scene of devastation, the impact of which is still not over. After the flash floods on August 26, the death toll reached 1,204 by Wednesday, September 2, while about 4,216 people are still missing. Relief teams are continuously searching for missing people in the Himalayan areas.

According to Nepal Police, 348 bodies have been recovered in Chitwan, 217 in Nawalparasi East, 190 in Nawalparasi West and 155 in Nuwakot. Apart from this, 66 bodies were found from Gorkha, 59 from Dhading, 45 from Rasuwa and 38 from Tanahun. Now the biggest challenge is to search for the missing people and provide relief to the affected families.

Balen Shah is calling the disaster to climate change

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah has described the flood of Bhotekoshi river in Rasuwa as an incident to climate change. He has appealed to the world to take joint action on the increasing climate risks in the Himalayas. Shah claimed in a social media post that a rise in temperature of 1.8 degrees Celsius in the Himalayas played a role in aggravating the disaster. According to experts, after a large part of snow and rocks fell down from the high altitude area, a strong flow of water was formed, which caused huge damage in the low-lying areas. The Prime Minister said that now the government’s focus is on rehabilitation.

Demand for compensation from three countries, preparation to go to UN

Nepal is now demanding not only aid but also compensation for this disaster. Kathmandu has included China, India and America among the major greenhouse gas emitting countries and has demanded from them to contribute in compensating the climate damage. According to Nepal’s Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal, the countries which have contributed more to the climate crisis have the responsibility to help those weaker countries which, despite low emissions, are suffering huge losses from natural disasters. Nepal is preparing to take this issue to the international forum.

Nepal has formally contacted the United Nations-backed ‘Loss and Damage Fund’ for immediate financial help. The government is also preparing to raise demands for climate justice and compensation on international forums.

It may cost 4-5 billion dollars to compensate for the destruction.

On 26 August, floods in the Bhotekoshi river basin affected many parts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts. Houses, roads, bridges and hydroelectric projects were heavily damaged, while large numbers of people were left homeless. Nepal has even called this disaster ‘Himalayan Tsunami’. Nepal’s Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle told Reuters that around $4 to 5 billion may be needed to compensate for the damage and reconstruction. This amount is said to be equal to about 10 percent of the country’s economy.

Balen Shah may raise demand for flood compensation in UNGA

According to ‘The Kathmandu Post’, Prime Minister Balendra Shah may go to New York to attend the 81st United Nations General Assembly. This proposal is being discussed at the government level, so that Shah himself can raise the issue of Rasuwa flood and climate compensation on the international platform.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal was to represent Nepal in UNGA. But there is a possibility of change in the plan after the flood. The general debate of the General Assembly, starting from 8 September, will be held in the third and fourth week of September. Nepal will try to show on this forum that despite low emissions, the Himalayan country is bearing the brunt of melting glaciers, unstable mountain slopes and glacier- floods.