Rising flood and landslide risks leave Karnali settlements exposed
Summary
Rising flood and landslide risks are severely impacting settlements in Karnali Province, Nepal, especially in Humla and other districts, with repeated damages to homes, infrastructure, and agriculture due to severe rainstorms and glacial lake outbursts.
Key Points
- Severe floods and landslides have repeatedly devastated settlements in Karnali's Humla and other districts, damaging homes, schools, livestock, and farmlands.
- Glacial lake outbursts and increasing rainfall linked to climate change are key drivers increasing flood and landslide risks in the Himalayan districts.
- The Karnali Province Planning Commission reports extensive steep terrain and weak geology contribute to vulnerability, with thousands of landslides occurring and high risk to nearly 900 settlements.
- Despite government preparedness plans and budget allocations, challenges such as poor implementation, insufficient resources, and coordination hamper effective disaster risk reduction.
