Over 33,000 citizens expected to be affected by monsoon in Sudurpaschim

Dhangadhi: More than 33,000 citizens are expected to be affected by this year’s monsoon in Sudurpaschim Province. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law, Sudurpaschim, an estimated 7,603 households in the province may be directly affected by disasters such as floods, landslides, and inundation.

According to the ministry’s disaster contact person Janak Dhami, around 33,227 citizens are at risk of disaster. The provincial government and concerned bodies have intensified preparedness and response planning to minimize possible damage. Dhami said that the affected areas and households have been identified, and a work procedure will be prepared soon with responsibilities to be assigned accordingly.

Due to geographical conditions, the nature of disasters varies across the districts of Sudurpaschim. This year, Kailali and Kanchanpur in the Terai region are expected to be the most affected during the monsoon, where river erosion, inundation, and flooding will be the main challenges.

The ministry has concluded that although the risk of flooding is lower in hilly and mountainous areas, the possibility of landslides remains high. Dhami said that based on past experiences of large landslides even during normal rainfall due to haphazard road construction and weak soil structure, high alert must be maintained in the hilly districts this year as well.

According to ministry data, 7,132 people are expected to be affected in Kanchanpur, 6,195 in Kailali, 4,820 in Doti, 3,776 in Bajura, 3,362 in Baitadi, 3,188 in Dadeldhura, 1,774 in Bajhang, 1,602 in Achham, and 1,467 in Darchula.

As the monsoon season approaches, the ministry has formed a special task force to protect citizens’ lives and property and has prepared a detailed draft for disaster management and response. The ministry stated that preparations are underway to have the draft approved by the Council of Ministers and fully implemented before the monsoon becomes active.