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

Nepal's Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle revealed on Saturday that the final death toll from the August flash floods may surpass 10,000, mirroring the number of fatalities from the 2015 earthquake. As of Saturday, the official death toll stood at 1,411 with 5,875 people still missing. Wagle stated that the widespread impact of the floods was comparable to that of the 2015 earthquake, affecting pilgrims, tourists, traders, and small business owners.

During a seminar in New Delhi organized by the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), Wagle expressed his appreciation for India's swift relief and rescue efforts in response to the floods. He announced that the Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah is expected to visit India by the end of the year. Both countries discussed enhancing connectivity through roads, railways, airways, and waterways.

Nepal has invested in world-class highways and three highways connecting border towns, which Wagle believed has been beneficial for the region. In terms of clean energy, Nepal currently has a capacity of 4,000 megawatts (MW), with plans to expand to 35,000 MW over the next nine years. However, the flash floods have severely impacted this sector, causing 800 MW (20% of total capacity) to be destroyed in the Trishuli basin.

Some Korean and Chinese investments have also been affected, though Indian investments remain unaffected.

The floods have impacted 13 hydropower plants, including several under-construction projects and a solar power plant that supplies electricity to India. The Indian Express reported that one hydropower plant, the 14-MW Devighat plant, was among those affected. The Nepalese government requested early electricity imports from India to offset the generation shortfall caused by the disaster. India agreed to export 654 MW of electricity daily from September 13 to December 31, covering solar-generation hours.

Wagle expressed gratitude for India's support, stating that India and Nepal have an opportunity to strengthen their partnership by building on existing strong ties. He emphasized the importance of enhancing connectivity and economic cooperation, acknowledging the potential for collaboration between the two nations.