KATHMANDU: A total of 3,681 disaster incidents have been recorded across Nepal since last April, resulting in 243 deaths and injuries to 869 people, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
During this period, 6,590 households were directly affected by various natural and human-induced disasters.
The Authority reports that the highest number of incidents occurred within the past six months. Among them, fire-related incidents were the most frequent, with 1,295 cases recorded. These fires claimed 23 lives, injured 177 people, and affected 1,411 households.
Floods have been particularly deadly, with 29 fatalities recorded in 263 incidents. An additional 14 people were injured, and 23 remain missing. Floods have impacted 1,861 families across the country.
Landslides also posed a serious threat, with 463 incidents resulting in 24 deaths and 41 injuries. Heavy rainfall events numbered 340, leading to six deaths, 14 injuries, and damage to 811 households. Lightning strikes were responsible for 38 deaths and 212 injuries from 290 incidents. These also affected 351 families.
Snakebite incidents accounted for 304 cases, claiming 77 lives and injuring 233 individuals—making it one of the deadliest causes of disaster-related fatalities after lightning and floods.
The country also recorded 185 incidents of forest fires, in which two people were injured and 27 households affected. Windstorms were reported 284 times, resulting in eight deaths, 44 injuries, and damage to 541 households. In 217 recorded cases of animal attacks, 20 people lost their lives, 88 were injured, and 366 families were affected.
The NDRRMA stated that it has launched various precautionary measures and public awareness campaigns to reduce disaster-related risks. The early warning system has also been made more systematic and effective to better prepare communities for potential hazards.
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