Kathmandu, October 26
The floods that struck the Rasuwagadhi-Bhotekoshi area on August 26 caused an estimated Rs 79.17 billion in damage to private property, according to preliminary findings from a post-disaster household survey conducted by the National Planning Commission (NPC).
The estimate covers damage to homes, land, businesses and other private assets. It does not include losses to infrastructure such as roads and hydropower projects, or damage to productive, social and environmental sectors, the commission said.
Of the total estimated loss, Rs 69.57 billion was attributed to household property and Rs 9.60 billion to businesses and other establishments. Households accounted for approximately 88 per cent of the damage to private property.
The assessment includes losses suffered by flood-affected residents and businesses involving land, crops, livestock, vehicles and household goods.
The Cabinet decided on August 28 to conduct a detailed assessment of the disaster’s impact and prepare a Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) report, including estimates of financial requirements and a reconstruction plan. The commission subsequently prepared questionnaires and deployed teams to collect data from affected areas.
According to the NPC, 156 technical and administrative personnel were mobilised in 58 teams, with staff from various government agencies involved in the survey. Local governments were also tasked with collecting information on affected households whose members were away for work or travel.
Data collected for the PDNA is still being processed and analysed.
More than 6,800 households and 1,600 businesses affected
Preliminary survey findings show that 6,817 households and 1,638 businesses across 15 local units in Nuwakot, Rasuwa, Dhading and Gorkha districts were affected by the floods.
A total of 32,872 people were directly affected, including 16,714 men, 16,080 women and 78 people identified as belonging to other gender categories or whose gender identity was not specified.
Nuwakot was the worst-affected district, with 17,954 people affected and 4,164 households and establishments reporting damage.
In Rasuwa, 9,676 people from 1,977 households were affected. Dhading recorded 4,584 affected people across 1,052 households, while Gorkha reported 658 affected people from 123 households.
Land accounts for the largest financial loss
Damage to land represented the largest share of estimated private-property losses. The survey found that 3,610 households suffered damage to 508 hectares of land, with the estimated value of the loss reaching Rs 35.44 billion.
Land on which privately owned homes stood sustained an estimated Rs 13.26 billion in damage. The cost of investment in building construction accounted for a further Rs 11.95 billion in losses. Damaged building structures occupied 54.65 hectares of land, according to the assessment.
The survey also estimated Rs 5.02 billion in losses involving cash, valuables, cultural objects and archaeological items belonging to 2,330 households.
Permanent household goods belonging to 3,187 families suffered damage worth Rs 1.45 billion. Meanwhile, 1,423 vehicles belonging to 1,115 households were damaged, resulting in estimated losses of Rs 1.24 billion.
Temporary household goods belonging to 2,769 families sustained damage worth Rs 663.5 million.
Agricultural losses included Rs 232.1 million in standing crops, Rs 104.1 million in stored food grains and Rs 214.2 million in livestock, poultry and fish farming.
The floods destroyed 664 large livestock animals, 4,601 small animals, 63,633 poultry birds and 24,508 kilograms of fish kept by households.
Nearly three-quarters of damaged structures completely destroyed
The survey recorded damage to 4,151 buildings and other structures owned by 3,967 property owners.
The damaged structures included 2,702 houses, 288 sheds or storage structures, 651 truss structures, 263 temporary shelters and 142 structures of other types. The type of 15 structures was not specified.
Of the total, 2,989 structures, or about 72 per cent, were completely destroyed. Another 508 were buried under soil and mud.
The assessment found that 302 buildings had sustained partial damage, 192 had minor damage and 141 had tilted.
Overall, 3,104 structures, or 76.95 per cent, were deemed unusable. Only 652 could be used again after repairs, including 332 requiring extensive repairs and 320 needing minor repairs. Just 97 structures remained fit for occupation without repairs.
Wholesale and retail businesses suffered the most
Wholesale and retail trade accounted for the largest share of affected businesses, with 774 establishments, or 47.25 per cent of the total.
Accommodation and food services accounted for 337 affected establishments, or 20.57 per cent. Agriculture, forestry and fishing accounted for 166 establishments, or 10.13 per cent, while 136 establishments, or 8.3 per cent, belonged to other service sectors.
Vehicles belonging to businesses also sustained substantial damage. A total of 403 business vehicles were damaged, causing estimated losses of Rs 940 million.
The floods also destroyed livestock, poultry and fish kept by business establishments, including 130 large animals, 2,058 small animals, 153,052 poultry birds and 28,150 kilograms of fish.
The NPC said the figures are preliminary and that data processing and analysis are ongoing as it works towards completing the PDNA report.
