Concerns peaked during a stakeholder interaction programme held in Kathmandu on Tuesday, organised by the Kathmandu District Coordination Committee, where a shocking revelation stirred public and institutional anxiety: the Valley has just one rescue raft available for flood response.
With the monsoon season just weeks away, the state of disaster preparedness in the Kathmandu Valley is under growing scrutiny. Stakeholders and disaster response officials are raising alarms over the capital’s glaring lack of emergency response equipment and coordination, which could spell trouble for lakhs of Kathmandu residents vulnerable to floods, landslides, and disease outbreaks during the monsoon.
Concerns peaked during a stakeholder interaction programme held in Kathmandu on Tuesday, organised by the Kathmandu District Coordination Committee, where a shocking revelation stirred public and institutional anxiety: the Valley has just one rescue raft available for flood response.
This stark shortfall, highlighted by officials at the meeting, exposed the capital’s woeful lack of readiness to confront monsoon-related hazards in the coming months. Experts at the event estimated that Kathmandu would ideally require around 600 inflatable rescue boats to be adequately equipped for flood emergencies. Yet, even ensuring the availability of 30 to 40 boats is proving to be a major challenge.
“In reality, when a disaster strikes, we may not have a single boat immediately deployable,” said one official candidly.
Shiva Adhikari, President of the Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies (NARA), noted that his organisation has repeatedly come to the government’s aid during past monsoon emergencies by providing raft boats and trained rescue teams.
“Each year, the government turns to us for help. We’ve been filling the gaps, but this ad-hoc support is not sustainable,” said Adhikari. He added that Nepal has over 600 skilled rafters, many trained abroad, and that NARA stands ready to partner with the government to build a more reliable rescue infrastructure.
Yet, despite such offers of support, formal recognition or integration of such private capacities into the government’s disaster preparedness framework remains elusive.
High-Risk Zones Identified
According to data presented by Nepal Police, eleven local governments within the Kathmandu Valley are particularly vulnerable to floods. Notable risk zones include:
- Tokha Municipality Ward No. 9
- Chandragiri Municipality Ward No. 12
- Kirtipur Municipality Wards No. 2, 4, and 10
- Kageshwori Manohara Wards No. 7 and 9
- Kathmandu Metropolitan City Ward No. 14, especially the Balkhu area and Bishnumati Corridor
In addition, Superintendent of Police Apil Raj Bohora pointed out that certain areas also face significant landslide threats, including:
- Chandragiri-1
- Budhanilkantha-5
- Wards No. 1, 2, 3, and 7 of Tarkeshwor Municipality
- Wards No. 7 and 32 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City
Despite the identification of these high-risk zones, no representatives from the most vulnerable municipalities were present at Tuesday’s engagement, a fact that Bohora described as “regrettable” and indicative of poor institutional accountability.
Local Government’s Response: Mixed Signals
While some local leaders acknowledged the changing disaster risk landscape, actual preparedness remains spotty. Kirtipur’s newly elected Mayor Krishna Man Dangol admitted that although the municipality was once considered low-risk, it has recently experienced increased landslides and localised flooding.
“We have begun to allocate dedicated budgets and implement disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies,” said Mayor Dangol. However, whether these efforts can be operationalised in time for the monsoon remains uncertain.
Chief District Officer Rishiram Tiwari emphasised the need for greater coordination between federal, provincial, and local governments. “Without shared commitment and a unified disaster response framework, the capital could face severe human and economic losses,” he warned.
Tiwari acknowledged resource limitations but stressed that the government continues to push for proactive risk reduction measures. Still, the general sentiment at the meeting was that plans and policies are not translating into action at the ground level.
Santosh Budhathoki, Chief of the Kathmandu District Coordination Committee, criticised the poor execution of DRR programmes. “While some initiatives have started at the district level, many local bodies have failed to support them effectively or see them through,” he said. Budhathoki announced that monitoring teams will soon be dispatched to evaluate municipal preparedness before the onset of the monsoon.
Health Risks Loom Large
Beyond the direct dangers of flooding and landslides, the monsoon season also ushers in a wave of vector-borne diseases, compounding Kathmandu’s vulnerability. The Valley regularly sees outbreaks of malaria, lymphatic filariasis, Japanese encephalitis, visceral leishmaniasis, and especially dengue fever—which has become a major public health concern.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Kathmandu reports the highest number of dengue cases among all districts in Nepal. While the risk of malaria remains low within the Valley itself, it persists in remote regions, posing additional concerns for internal migration and healthcare infrastructure.
With less than a month before the monsoon sets in, time is running out for authorities to close critical gaps in disaster readiness. The interaction programme made one thing clear: while knowledge of the risks exists and willingness to address them is emerging, action on the ground is insufficient.
From inadequate rescue equipment and poor inter-agency coordination to health vulnerabilities and absent local representatives, the Kathmandu Valley is staring down a potentially dangerous monsoon season.
As one official said, “If steps are not taken now to strengthen emergency preparedness, bolster health response, and foster genuine cooperation across government levels, the cost could be devastating – for the capital and its people.”
