"Scale up mitigation program": Former NDMA advisor urges faster action after Nepal flash floods

New York [US], August 29 (ANI): Following the devastating flash floods in Nepal, former National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) advisor Safi Ahsan Rizvi on Saturday emphasised the need to scale up India's glacial lake risk mitigation program and establish a 24/7 cross-border control room coordination with Nepal to prevent future disasters.
Scientists suspect the flash floods on August 26 morning may have been triggered by a Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF).
In a self-made video, Rizvi highlighted that similar incidents have been taking place for a long time in India and Nepal, emphasing that India has created a National GLOF Risk Mitigation Programme (NGRMP) to tackle such situations.
"The recent tragedy in Nepal was basically something that has been happening in the Indian Himalayas for a long time. But in the last 20 to 25 years, there have been seven or eight such disasters that have affected India. There are about four or five big ones that have affected Nepal. Now, how are we prepared in India for this? In India, the NDMA has created a National GLOF Risk Mitigation Programme (NGRMP).
Expanding on the programme further, he said, "It's a Rs 150 crore programme for the four states and two union territories that are affected. So that kind of preparedness is something which takes time to build, but then that plan is already underway, and I'm sure it'll be sped up."
However, Rizvi said that the plan needs to be expedited to reduce the chances of risks.
"But we do need to really scale that plan up and do it in a much faster, much speedier way in which there are no delays, and we can reduce the risk that comes out of those glacial lakes... The inter-trans boundary coordination does have a long way to go. While on paper, there is trans border coordination with regard to India and Nepal. However, I do feel that there is a great need for a 24-7 connection between the control rooms of the Central Water Commission in India and the equivalent institution in Nepal," he said.
NGRMP is aimed at reducing the risks associated with glacial lake outburst floods, particularly in regions that are highly susceptible to such natural disasters.
Meanwhile, the death toll in the Bhote Koshi flood-related disaster in Nepal has reached 626, while 2,426 people remain missing, according to the Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
As per the latest search, rescue and relief update issued by NDRRMA as of 10 am on August 29, the highest number of bodies were recovered in Chitwan, where 233 bodies, including various human remains, were found.
The authority said 2,426 people were still reported missing. Among them were 27 Nepal Police personnel, 45 Nepal Army personnel, 13 Armed Police Force personnel, 15 Customs Office personnel and four Immigration Office personnel.
As many as 562 people were reported missing in Rasua and 115 in Nuwakot based on information received from District Emergency Operation Centres (DEOCs). A total of 933 people from hydropower projects were also reported missing, along with 65 people from Makwanpur.
The disaster has also affected foreign nationals and Nepali citizens residing abroad. NDRRMA said 517 foreign nationals were reported missing, along with 127 Nepali citizens living abroad. Three people from Langtang National Park were also reported missing.
Meanwhile, 101 injured people are undergoing treatment in hospitals, with surgical and medical teams deployed to assist the injured.
The authority said a total of 4,451 people have been rescued so far, including 191 people rescued from hydropower tunnels and 517 people evacuated by air on Saturday. As many as 129 foreign nationals have also been rescued. (ANI)