The Prime Minister of Nepal, Balendra Shah, and the rest of the members of his Government will allocate one month's salary to the reconstruction of the areas affected by the severe floods recorded this week. The money will be deposited into the state fund dedicated to financing disaster response.
The decision comes as search and rescue operations continue. The latest official balance raises the number of deceased to 538 and the missing to 937 in Nepal, although authorities warn that both figures may continue to rise.
One month's salary for the emergency fund
The Nepali Government has agreed that all members of the Council of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, will contribute their salary corresponding to one month to the Disaster Relief Fund. The Executive has not yet communicated how much money this measure will raise.
The contribution aims to assist the affected individuals and to reconstruct homes, roads, bridges, and other damaged infrastructure. The floods have particularly hit the towns located next to rivers and the mountainous areas near the border between Nepal and China.
Assistance for affected families and businesses
The Council of Ministers has also tasked the Ministry of Finance with the preparation of a package of assistance, rehabilitation, and reconstruction for the affected families and businesses. The measures will initially focus on Rasuwagadhi, the area around the Bhote Koshi river, and the populations located downstream.
The Government has not detailed the financial allocation, the requirements to access the aid, or the expected timelines. Authorities will first need to assess the extent of the damages and determine how many homes, businesses, and infrastructures need to be repaired or rebuilt.
In the same meeting, but through a different decision, the Executive authorized the public company Krishi Samagri Company Limited to acquire 25,000 tons of DAP fertilizer from India through an agreement between both governments.
The death toll rises to 538
The National Authority for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management of Nepal has reported the recovery of 538 bodies, while at least 937 people remain missing. The district of Chitwan accounts for the highest number of fatalities, with 221 deceased.
The figures correspond exclusively to Nepal. On the other side of the border, Chinese authorities have reported another five dead and 558 missing in Gyirong County, in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
Emergency teams continue to search for survivors among the mud, debris, and destroyed infrastructure. Access difficulties, road interruptions, and the risk of new floods are affecting operations.
The risk of new floods continues
Nepalese authorities are monitoring at least two accumulations of water formed in the mountainous area upstream. One of them began to overflow this Friday, which forced the temporary suspension of some rescue work and the relocation of teams to higher places.
The danger will continue as long as these natural deposits are not completely emptied. The water retained by ice, rocks, and sediments can suddenly break the barriers and cause new floods in the rivers that cross the affected communities.
What could have caused the flood in Nepal
Preliminary analyses of satellite images suggest that a landslide of ice and rocks blocked the Lhende River, approximately 20 kilometers upstream from the Miteri bridge. The obstruction would have formed a temporary reservoir that eventually broke and released a large amount of water and sediments.
This hypothesis is still not definitive. Specialists are still investigating whether a glacial lake overflow occurred or if the flood was mainly caused by the breaking of the barrier created by the landslide.
The definitive magnitude of the damages has also not been quantified. The package commissioned to the Ministry of Finance must determine the needs of the affected families and businesses before the main reconstruction actions can begin.