Bhotekoshi floods expose gaps in Nepal’s emergency communications
Summary
Severe floods in the Bhotekoshi river system damaged telecom infrastructure across Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading, leaving mobile services restored only partially and with poor quality in many areas. The disaster has highlighted major gaps in Nepal’s emergency communications planning and backup systems.
Key Points
- Floods in the Bhotekoshi river system damaged dozens of mobile sites and disrupted communications across Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading.
- Nepal Telecom says all affected sites are back in operation, while Ncell says three destroyed sites remain difficult to restore.
- Residents report poor call quality despite restored signal, and the telecom regulator has received similar complaints.
- Experts say Nepal needs stronger backup systems and an implemented emergency communications plan to handle future disasters.
