By Abdullahi Lukman
Communities devastated by deadly flash floods and
landslides in Nepal face major obstacles to rebuilding, with unstable ground, altered river channels and widespread destruction making it difficult to determine where it is safe to return, a UN official has warned.
Sara Netzer, regional director at the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), said many affected communities were so severely damaged that the normal process of beginning reconstruction within weeks of a disaster was not possible.
The floods and landslides, triggered by a glacier collapse in late August, killed more than 1,200 people and displaced thousands. In some areas, homes were swept as far as 150 metres from their original locations.
Netzer said a community of about 400 homes and 1,200 residents was among the worst affected, with virtually all structures destroyed by floodwater and mud. Debris in some locations is estimated to be between five and eight metres deep.
She said the debris contains personal belongings, including schoolbooks, shoes, blankets and other items, and may also contain the remains of people who remain missing.
Many displaced residents are currently staying in government-designated holding centres, where access to adequate water and sanitation remains an urgent concern. Some are also sheltering in schools that authorities hope to reopen, creating an immediate need for temporary accommodation.
Netzer said restoring access to education was particularly important for children who had witnessed the loss of family members and were dealing with severe trauma.
Reconstruction is further complicated by changes in the river system. Netzer said the river had shifted its course, while the ground remained unstable and had not yet settled sufficiently for engineers to determine safe locations for rebuilding.
UNOPS has mobilised funding for engineering assessments, infrastructure risk mapping and bridge safety evaluations to support the recovery effort.
Transport remains another major challenge. Only one of 40 bridges in the affected area is still standing, cutting off communities and restricting humanitarian access.
The World Food Programme has consequently been using helicopters to deliver essential assistance.
Netzer said some of the affected communities had already been displaced by Nepal’s devastating 2015 earthquake, adding that survivors now faced renewed uncertainty after losing homes, relatives and sources of income.
She warned that the scale of the disaster could offer a wider lesson for Himalayan communities as climate-related risks increase, saying similar crises could affect other communities and countries in the future.
