Flash floods toll may climb as high as 10,000, says Nepalese Finance Minister

Nepal's Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle forecasted that the death toll from the August flash floods could reach 10,000, on par with the 2015 earthquake's impact. As of the latest count, the death toll stands at 1,411, with 5,875 people still missing. Wagle emphasized that the geographical concentration of the floods masked the massive human toll, which included pilgrims, tourists, traders, and small businessmen.

At a seminar in New Delhi, Wagle praised India's swift relief and rescue efforts, and announced that Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah is set to visit India by the end of the year. Wagle also noted that connectivity, including roads, railways, airways, and waterways, between the two nations was a key topic of discussion with Indian officials Nirmala Sitharaman and S Jaishankar.

Nepal has made significant progress in connectivity and power over the past 15 years, including the construction of three world-class highways. However, the floods have severely affected the energy sector, with nearly 800 MW of hydropower capacity destroyed in the Trishuli basin, about 20% of the total. Additionally, 13 hydropower plants, including a 14-MW plant that supplies electricity to India, were impacted.

The Indian government has agreed to import 654 MW of electricity daily from Nepal for 18 hours from September 13 to December 31 to compensate for the generation shortfall. Wagle expressed hope for the timely closure of pending deals on air connectivity, roads, and railways, and urged both nations to leverage their strong partnership to realize the full potential of their cooperation.