Bhotekoshi flood-disaster management is a serious test: RSP lawmaker and engineer Shreeram Neupane
लगानी न्यूज
The devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli rivers on August 26 caused huge human and physical damage in Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading and other areas. This disaster can be considered as a unique kind of unimaginable and unexpected event in the history of natural disasters not only in Nepal but in the world.
The flood, which came at a rate of about TAG_OPEN_div_56 188 km per hour, had an additional flow of 20 million cubic meters i.e. 20 billion liters of water. The floods with mud, stones, mud, and rocks caused huge loss of life and infrastructure.
The level of the river has risen about eight meters after the flood. The flood, which is about 90 to 150 meters high, has damaged the surrounding settlements, hydropower projects, roads and agricultural land. This incident has taught us a lot about our upcoming development projects, settlement development and infrastructure development.
} When I got the news of the flood in Bhotekoshi, I myself reached the spot and was active in the rescue work. When I heard the news of the flood, I only thought that a natural disaster had occurred, but when I reached the spot, I realized that the situation was very serious. The flow of the river was very strong. Roads, bridges and various structures were damaged. In some places, it was difficult to identify the geographical conditions of the past. More serious was that people were trapped in the tunnels and power houses of various hydropower projects.
Family members were eager to get information about the condition of their people. In such a situation, it was also my responsibility to be present there as a people’s representative. People’s representatives should be present in the grief of the people. It is one of our responsibilities to make policies by sitting in Parliament, but when the people are in crisis, it is equally important to reach out to them. It is necessary to be active where we can help with our knowledge, capacity or access. But the people’s representatives should not take away the work of the rescue workers. They should play their role by coordinating with the concerned security agencies, technicians and experts.
Especially, when I came to know that people were trapped in the tunnels of the hydropower project, I could not take it as a matter of general relief. Since I was an engineer myself, I had some experience in tunnel construction and its structure. So if my knowledge and experience can be used in the rescue, then why take a backseat? When I reached the spot, I realized that the situation was much more difficult than I had imagined.
The flood had damaged some structures to the point of visibility. After that, we had to study the available map, the condition of the structure, the flow of water and the possible access routes and think about the options for rescue. All those involved in the rescue had the same objective – to get the trapped people out safely. The contribution made by the security personnel, technicians and the local general public in this is unforgettable.
The incident of people being trapped inside the tunnel was a very sensitive situation. From the outside, it looks like a structure has been damaged, but inside it, people’s lives are connected. We had to think about how many people are inside the tunnel, where they could be, what is the condition of the water, what is the condition of oxygen. We had to think about the condition of the tunnel, the water level, the possible obstruction, the place where people could be and the possible way to reach there. Remembering the condition of the employees and their family members, there was even more pressure. The person involved in the rescue has to make a decision on the basis of facts and technicalities, not on the basis of emotions. But at the same time, every minute was equally important. Emotionally, we all wanted to do the rescue, but moving forward without identifying the technically safe route would have created another risk.
The first challenge in the rescue operation was to reach the site safely. Roads, bridges, electricity and communication infrastructure were also affected after the floods. Another challenge was to find out the exact condition of the tunnel. It is not easy to guess from the outside where the tunnel is blocked, how much water is there, what is the condition of air and oxygen inside. Therefore, we had to work by combining the available maps, technical equipment and the experience of the rescue team. We also had to work hard to identify the mouth of the tunnel of Trishuli-3 ‘A’. For this, efforts were made to get information about the condition of the tunnel by doing drilling and other work. Later, when it was reported that human voices were heard from inside the tunnel, it became a very promising sign for the rescue team.
My engineering experience helped me to understand the technical aspects related to the tunnel, structure and geography. A tunnel is not an ordinary structure. One has to understand its design, topography, ventilation system, water drainage, emergency access, etc. While discussing the map of the tunnel, the condition of the structure and the possible access, it was possible to take a technical perspective. Since I had the experience of working in tunnel construction in the past, I could look at the available maps and structures and suggest possible alternatives, but rescue is not done alone. The coordination of the Nepal Army, Armed Police, local technicians, project staff and other related agencies was very important. My role was to help where technical knowledge is needed and to find a solution as much as possible. Rescue is not possible with the efforts of one person. The coordination of the Nepal Army, Armed Police, local rescue teams, project technicians and employees is necessary.
Especially since hydropower projects are built on the banks of rivers, they are directly affected by natural disasters like floods and landslides. This means that Nepal should not back down from hydropower development, but now the style of development should change. Risks should be included in the design of the project. Infrastructure should be built keeping in mind the behavior of the river, the geography, the effects of climate change and possible extreme floods. The Bhotekoshi incident has taught us that development should not be stopped, but we should develop in a safer and modern way. Hydropower is our great potential, but the risks associated with it cannot be ignored. All the hydropower projects affected by this disaster will be restored. The dams of some projects have been damaged, while the tunnels of some have been damaged. The power plants in Langtang and Chilime have been damaged. The main challenge is how to keep the dams strong.TAG_OPEN_div_38
While constructing hydropower projects, the risk should not be ignored. In my experience, now the tunnel construction standards should be made and implemented. As much as possible, the structure of hydropower projects should be made underground. A safe place can be made by making a separate bunker in the upper part of the power house. In case of emergency, food and communication systems should be constructed. This incident made it clear that emergency machine equipment should be kept ready for rescue. Such equipment can also be done collectively by different projects. The main thing is that while constructing dams or other structures of hydropower projects, attention should be paid to be safe from disasters like earthquakes, floods, landslides. Now, from the design of the project to the construction of the project, the potential extreme floods, geography, climate change and environmental risks should be seriously included. Stopping development is not the solution. The solution is to develop with safe, sustainable and risk reduction at the center.TAG_OPEN_div_36
The Bhotekoshi flood is not just a natural disaster; it is also a serious test for Nepal’s disaster management system. The biggest lesson is that disaster should be prepared before it strikes. Disaster forecasting, early warning system, emergency access road, communication system and rescue equipment should be prepared in advance, not only after a disaster strikes. A system should be developed to reach the downstream areas immediately if there is an abnormal water flow or flood situation, especially in the upper reaches of the river.
This can reduce the human loss a lot. After the floods, I have also stressed the need for an early warning system to make the human loss as low as possible. The efforts of the rescuers amidst the roar of the river and the darkness inside the tunnel make one thing clear that a combination of technology, skilled manpower and human sensitivity is essential during a disaster. We are still in a proactive manner when a disaster strikes. Now this system has to be changed. Before a disaster strikes, there should be risk identification, early warning, safe places, rescue equipment, communication system and skilled manpower. The early warning system is very important, especially in the areas of river and hydropower projects. If there is an abnormal flow of water in the upper areas, there should be a system of immediate information to the settlements and projects below.
This disaster has caused great pain to many families. The pain of losing or missing a family member cannot be expressed in words. We need to understand how painful every day is for the families of the disappeared. Now, along with relief and rescue, rehabilitation and reconstruction should also be given priority. While building damaged structures, we should not build them as before, but make them safer keeping in mind the risks of the future. Bhotekoshi has taught us a harsh lesson that even if disasters cannot be prevented, the damage caused by them can be reduced to a great extent through preparedness, technology, and effective coordination. Now our focus should be in that direction. Even after rescue, the responsibility of the government and the concerned agencies is not over. Relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction should also be given equal priority. Instead of rebuilding the damaged structures, they should be rebuilt in such a way that there is less damage in the event of a similar disaster in the future. The government has given high priority to this incident and has drawn the attention of the international community. Prime Minister Balen Shah’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly has inspired many countries of the world to help Nepal. As a result, the United Nations Climate Change Loss and Damage Fund has decided to provide 20 million US dollars (about Rs 3 billion) to Nepal for the relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the flood victims in the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli region.
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्