Rasuwa flood damage unimaginable: CM Thapa

Kathmandu, Sept. 2: Bagmati Province Chief Minister Kiran Thapa has described the damage caused by floods in Rasuwa as “unimaginable,” saying the immediate rescue, relief and management of affected residents is the provincial government’s top priority.

Addressing an all-party, multi-stakeholder meeting convened to make rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts more effective following the devastating floods, Thapa assured that no effort would be spared to relocate affected residents to safe areas and provide them with necessary relief supplies.

Thapa said all government mechanisms had been mobilised to strengthen rescue and relief operations in the flood-affected areas. He directed the concerned authorities to prioritise saving lives and ensuring the safe management of displaced residents.

He also instructed the agencies to mobilise sufficient manpower, equipment, food, medicines and other essential supplies to ensure there were no shortages during rescue and relief operations. Thapa stressed the need for effective coordination among the federal, provincial and local governments to ensure that flood-affected residents receive essential services and relief without delay.

The meeting decided to immediately accelerate rescue operations and relief distribution in the affected areas. It also agreed to restore blocked roads and transport services, ensure supplies of essential items such as food, and relocate residents living in high-risk areas to safer locations.

The meeting further decided to repair flood-damaged roads and other infrastructure and restore transport services as quickly as possible. The necessary resources and equipment will be mobilised through coordination among the three tiers of government.

To make relief distribution more organised, the meeting decided to collect relief materials from federal government offices and arrange additional supplies through the provincial government. The materials will then be distributed at the ward level in coordination with local governments. Security agencies and concerned local governments will also be mobilised to recover, identify and manage the bodies of people who lost their lives in the floods. The respective local governments will arrange the necessary locations and facilities for the proper management of the bodies.

It called for precautionary measures to prevent further damage in high-risk areas and for stronger security and preparedness measures in areas facing potential risks. TRN