On Saturday, September 29, three days of continuous rain transformed the Bagmati River, which flows through Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital at an altitude of 1,355 meters, into a monster of mud, carrying tree trunks, electrical masts, cars and all kinds of garbage. The Kathmandu Valley is the region hardest hit by the deadly floods that have battered the ancient Himalayan kingdom. The city of almost a million inhabitants received half its annual average rainfall in just two days, more than 700 mm. At least 73 people perished in the valley.
The provisional nationwide death toll was at least 200 died, 127 injured and 26 still missing as of Monday, September 30. More than 4,000 people have been rescued, but anger is rising against the government, criticized for the slowness of rescue operations and the lack of equipment to deal with such a catastrophe. Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli was in the United States for the 79th General Assembly of the United Nations.
The raging waters also invaded the ancient royal capital, Patan, a medieval jewel a few kilometers from Kathmandu. In nearby Khokana, the Bagmati River reached a height of 6.16 meters, 2.16 meters above the alert threshold. Residents had to jump from roof to roof to escape the rising waters.
These torrential rains fell on soils already saturated by a heavy monsoon, 25% heavier than normal in the capital. "I've never seen flooding of this magnitude in Kathmandu," said Arun Bhakta Shrestha, a senior climate change specialist and strategic group lead at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), a reference center located next to Kathmandu. According to this expert, a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal and the more northerly than usual position of the monsoon trough are responsible for the late and exceptionally intense rains at the end of September. Nepal's monsoon season normally runs from mid-June to mid-September.
The damage in the capital is so extensive due to uncontrolled and anarchic urbanization. Over the past three decades, Kathmandu has sprung up like a mushroom, welcoming a constant flow of migrants from the countryside in search of jobs, health services and education. The congested, earthquake-prone megalopolis continues to expand into the valley, increasing pressure on limited resources. Once idyllic, this valley, rich in exceptional heritage, has become an immense urban zone, devouring agricultural and natural areas.
Political instability and corruption have prevented the implementation of effective urban management. As ICIMOD scientists explained, "While climate change is altering the amount and timing of rainfall in Asia, the increased impact of flooding is mainly due to the built environment, including unplanned construction, particularly in flood plains, which does not leave sufficient space for water retention and drainage."
You have 36.64% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.