Kathmandu. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has directed Rasuwa and surrounding areas to immediately collect details of the loss caused by the sudden flood in the Bhotekoshi river and speed up rescue, relief and rehabilitation works.

Immediately after receiving the information about the floods, Minister Shrestha called a meeting of the Senior Management Group (SMT) at the Ministry and took stock of the preliminary situation. On the occasion, Minister Pun directed them to carry out rescue and rehabilitation of employees, workers and members of the general public affected by the disaster, to make necessary coordination with the bodies concerned including the Ministry of Home Affairs and to immediately mobilize mechanisms in the disaster-hit areas.

On the occasion, Minister Shrestha directed the Ministry to be active to disseminate disaster-related information in a systematic way and at the earliest and to proceed with rehabilitation works by collecting details of damages caused to energy and other physical infrastructures.

They also instructed the concerned authorities to make preparations for the alternative and emergency arrangements to keep the power supply regular, safe and sustainable across the country including the Kathmandu Valley.

The Ministry has said that coordination is being made with the Ministry of Home Affairs for the rescue of employees, workers and locals who have gone missing in the floods. The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has already sent seven vehicles to the affected areas for the rescue work while additional 14 vehicles are kept on standby. It is also coordinating for air rescue. Joint Secretary of the Ministry has also been mobilized for rescue and coordination in the disaster-hit areas.

Floods have affected eight hydropower projects including five in operation and three under construction in Rasuwa district. The total capacity of the project is 236 MW and the capacity of the project under construction is 342.42 MW. The affected hydropower projects are Upper Trishuli-1, Rasuwagadhi, Rasuwa Bhotekoshi, Sanjen Khola, Upper Mailung ‘A’, Mailung Khola, Langtang Khola and Chilime Hydropower Project.

Similarly, six hydropower projects, four in operation and two under construction in Nuwakot, have also been affected by the floods. The combined capacity of these projects is 123 MW in operation and 52.6 MW under construction. The affected projects include Trishuli, Devighat, Upper Trishuli-3A, Upper Trishuli-3B, Middle Trishuli-Ganga and 25 MW solar projects.

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has mobilized a technical team to ensure disruption in power supply. Efforts are on to immediately restore power supply as far as possible by assessing the condition of the affected infrastructures, said the Ministry.

The Centre for Hydrology and Water Resources Research has sent more than two lakh SMS alerts to inform the people of downstream areas about the risk of floods. However, the flood has also damaged some structures including the gauge station connected by the center, which has created difficulties in disseminating information related to further risks.

Meanwhile, the ministry held discussion with the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN) and enquired about the damage caused by floods in the hydropower projects, rescue of the affected human resources and restoration of the projects. The meeting also discussed the need for expeditious collection of details of damages to the private sector projects and to forward necessary coordination for rehabilitation.

According to the Ministry, the concerned agencies are collecting detailed damage details and technical assessment of the affected projects. Necessary action plan for the rehabilitation will be made public once the exact details of the damage are received. According to the Ministry, a committee has been formed under the coordination of Joint Secretary of the Planning Division to collect and evaluate the overall damages.