Nepal flood reconstruction bill to be US$4.78bil

Last month's catastrophic floods in Nepal, triggered by a glacial collapse, have prompted the government to request a massive US$4.78 billion reconstruction bill, according to the foreign ministry. The floods, which began on the China-Nepal border, claimed over 1,400 lives and left an estimated 5,600 people missing.

The reconstruction costs are split into two categories: US$57.67 million for immediate recovery efforts over the next six months, and US$4.71 billion for longer-term rebuilding.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has called for increased international support from the global community to help Nepal adapt to the rapidly changing mountain environment, which is partly attributed to climate change. He is set to raise this issue during his first foreign trip as leader, when he addresses the UN General Assembly.

The exact cause of the glacial collapse remains unclear, but climate change is widely recognized as contributing to the melting of glaciers worldwide, raising the risk of such disasters. The Himalayas, home to the world's highest mountain range, are particularly affected by this trend.

A UN preliminary assessment puts the building damage alone at US$158 million, with total losses, including damage to infrastructure, agricultural land, and humanitarian costs, expected to be far higher. Rescue efforts have recovered 1,385 bodies, while around 5,130 people are still missing. In China, the death toll stands at 43, with 519 people still unaccounted for.