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Prominent Nepali communist politician and former Minister of Finance and Energy Barshaman Pun has issued a public appeal for vigilance as local authorities ordered evacuations amid renewed threats of flooding following a devastating disaster.
Providing an assessment of the ground situation, Barshaman Pun told ANI, "Firstly, there is a threat again that there could be another flood. The whole area is being evacuated." He further noted regarding safety protocols and infrastructure: "The local administration has issued a warning for caution. Therefore, I appeal to the local community for caution. The road ahead is blocked." Detailing the suspension of ongoing development projects, Pun added, "The road construction work was going on in the morning. Now, all the work has been stopped. Now, the road is being reconstructed." Expressing concern over missing persons, he noted, "About 500-600 people are missing. This is a shocking incident," concluding, "So, we are working in coordination with the authorities." In response to the crisis, Nepal's Prime Minister Balendra Shah and his council of ministers decided to deposit a month of their salaries into the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund. The PMO stated: "The government has decided to deposit one month's salary/wages of all members of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers in the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers today." Furthermore, the cabinet directed the Finance Ministry to prepare a relief and rehabilitation package and approved Krishi Samagri Company Limited to purchase 25,000 metric tons of DAP fertiliser from India through G2G procurement. The crisis stems from a catastrophic flash flood that struck the Tibet-Nepal border on August 26, sending a powerful surge of water, sediment, and boulders through the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems. Fresh floods were triggered after a barrier lake formed near the confluence of Chhochen Khola and Purepu Tsangpo rivers breached on Friday, with Rasuwa Chief District Officer Narendra Pariyar confirming to The Kathmandu Post that the Nepali Army informed him of the breach. People in the Trishuli area were evacuated again following a magnitude 5.1 earthquake in Sichuan, China, which threatened to raise river levels. Authorities involved in rescue operations have recovered 475 bodies, according to The Kathmandu Post. (ANI)
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