Heavy loss of life and property in Nepal due to heavy rain and severe floods

07-Oct-2024 05:46 PM

Kathmandu. Heavy to very heavy rains for 48 hours in the last week in India's northern neighbouring country Nepal, rivers overflowing and devastating floods in many areas have caused a huge loss of life and property. Due to these natural disasters, Nepal's economy is expected to suffer a loss of Rs 17 billion. Agricultural crops have been severely damaged, due to which there is a danger of shortage of many food products there.

But informed sources say that a large amount of essential food items are being smuggled into Nepal from India and other neighbouring countries, due to which people will not have to face much food crisis. Rice, wheat and sugar are being smuggled from India. Export of wheat, flour, maida, semolina and sugar etc. from India is banned. Export of white rice has also been opened recently.

Analysts say that the Nepal government has made a partial estimate of the loss of Rs 17 billion, whereas the actual loss is about three times more than this. Crops have been damaged or destroyed across a vast geography. The official figure is currently Rs 6 billion worth of agricultural losses, but the actual damage is much more than this. As a result, there is a possibility of further rise in food inflation, a sharp fall in farmers' income and a huge increase in food imports from abroad, which will increase pressure on the economy.