Rain a Blessing or a Curse ?

Country like Nepal, where only 18 percent of farming land is irrigated all year round, has some blessings  from monsoon and winter rainfall. But, If this rainfall is in excess, it can cause many devastating events, as it happened now in Nepal. Its been 4 days, rainfall is continuous and intensity is changing time and again.

Heavy flood and landslides triggered by incessant rain since 16 June 2013 caused serious damage in Western, Mid Western and Far Western Region. Due to excessive rain and landslide/ flood thereafter; life in far western is very difficult now. I am  concerned now and wish for safe stay of all people; less destruction of their properties, crops and livestock's. Due to this, one of the simulation exercises for emergency disaster response, planned for today is also postponed. Ministry of home affair was planning to organize it, but concerned person are all engaged in the SAR ( Search and Rescue), emergency response and action thereafter.

A far western mountain District  Darchula,  is most affected by the rain as the flood of Mahakali entered in to the human habitat. The two suspension bridges that link Darchula to india were swept away by the flood and road network to Darchula has reportedly been blocked by landslides at various places which may affect the delivery of immediate relief materials from other districts and regional centers. The essential communication services such as electricity and internet have been discontinued due to damage while the telephone operation is intermittently operational. 

 In this background, news are circulated that Indian authorities are some sort of  responsible for large scale of destruction. As rainfall was excessive and a Dhauliganga hydro-power, near Khalanga (Darchula headquarter ) (21 KM far) in Indian side had not capacity to retain water in dam and they opened the door. They did not inform to Nepalese authority about opening of doors of dam, however, they announced publicly to Indian people for safe stay. So that, loss in Indian side is very less compared to Nepal though Mahakali River is boarder of two nations. Although, the truth of this statement yet to be verified, if it had happened as explained here, it's really injustice to Nepal and Nepalese from Indian side. It has to be inquired by international neutral authority and punish whoever is found to have done mistake.

Similarly, the flood and landslide in different parts of nation claimed 19 lives. 7 person of a family in Dailekh and 5 person of a family in Baitadi killed due to landslide. Each 2 person in Kalikot and Acham and one person each in Rautahat, Dadeldhura and Dotihas been killed. Similalry, flood in Kailali has affected 500 houses. Inundation and flood are almost everywhere in western part of Nepal.

Now, another concern is also linked here. We always see, western Nepal get more rain compared to eastern Nepal in winter season, however vice versa is true for summer and spring. But, this is just opposite this summer. Western part is continuously getting heavy rain whereas the intensity decreases as we move to eastern part. So, as many climatologist and advocates of climate change claim, the effect of climate change could have some effect on this.

In conclusion, for people like we, who worship for lord Indra(lord of rainfall) and enchant the mantra of " Harahara Mahadev, Pani Parideu " ( Hey god, please give us rainfall); rainfall is not bless always. Weak infrastructure, fragile land and human habitat nearby river basin are reasons to weaken our adaptability and increasing vulnerability. In a way, we can't compete with nature, but we can manage. We can't control ( avoid) risk but we can manage (averse) risk. So, at last wish this rainfall stop now and disaster like landslide and flood stop immediately.