3.3 Natural Disasters in Sindhupalchok and Their Effects on Economic and Social Rights Background Disaster Damage indhupalchok is geographically A. Earthquake of 2015 Ssituated at the central part of The entire district has faced high Himalayas at altitudes ranging from 735 earthquake risks. The district suffered to 6,966 above sea level. The land is com- major damages in earthquakes of 1988 posed of sedimentary rocks and loose soil and 2015. The earthquake of 2015 had particles and ranges and has three ma- caused the loss of 3,557 lives and injured jor rivers – Bhotekoshi, Sunkoshi, and 1,569 people, and INSEC had document- Indrawati. The district has been prone ed damage of 67,383 households. The to natural disasters owing to the high earthquake had affected the entire popu- mountains, steep hills, and fast flowing lation, including children, women, and rivers. The district has had major disas- the elderly across all local jurisdictions. ters in the recent past including the 2015 Many of the people were living in fragile earthquake, the landslide at Jure July and high-risk regions but in the absence 2014, Jalbire Khamare landslide August of relocation opportunities, the people of 25, 2014 and floods in the Bhotekoshi Lidi, Nampha, Gumba, and Bolden had (2016), Barhabise landslide (2020), and to return to their original residences after Lidi landslide (2020), among others. relief operations. The landslides have left deep scars at all this locations and is still Objectives vulnerable to future disasters. The loss at The objectives of this study were to: the settlements above can be avoided by 1. Document and publish information relocating them to safer areas. on the impacts of natural disasters in different parts of the district and ex- B. Loss to Landslides plore remedial measures, and The district has suffered major 2. Support disaster victims to access losses to landslides in the recent years. support and to examine the efficacy The Jure landslide on August 1 had killed of relief, relocation and rehabilitation 145 people and injured 15. It had swept support and systems. way 113 houses and affected 319 families. The landslide of Jalbire Khamare of Au- Methods gust 25, 2014 had killed five people and The report is largely based on site buried 18 houses. Similarly, that of Jam- visits, consultations, and interviews with bu on July 8, 2020 had cost two lives and displaced families and stakeholders. The the whereabouts of 17 people remained study has also used information from sec- unknown; another five had been injured. ondary sources. 78 Natural Disasters in Sindhupalchok and Their Effects on Economic and Social Rights Table 1: Details of disaster damage in Sindhupalchowk (2014-2020) Year of Displaced S.No Death Injury Disappearance Source Disaster Families Field report of 1 2077 74 25 33 389 Nepal Red Cross Society, 2077 Annual report of 2 2073 0 0 3 945 Nepal Red Cross Society, 2074 Annual report of 3 2072 3570 1569 7 1924 Nepal Red Cross Society, 2073 Annual report of 4 2071 150 15 0 337 Nepal Red Cross Society, 2072 The landslide had buried 39 houses and 2020, had killed 17, injured nine, buried damaged another 63. Another landslide 14 people and swept away 27 houses. at Khamare of Jalbire had swept away 10 The land at all locations mentioned houses on July 8, 2020 and one at Bulkot above have deep fractures and are still of Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality-5 of fragile. However, people continue to live July 8 had killed four people, injured four in those areas for lack of proper manage- and swept away four houses. ment of the people who were affected. Likewise, the landslide of Lidi of Jugal Rural Municipality-2 of August 14, C. Floods 2020 had killed 35, buried two, injured six The district has also been affected and buried 29 houses. Similarly, another by floods frequently. A flood in Bhotekoshi 172 houses had been affected by the Lidi on July 5, 2016 had caused major damage landslide1 and another one at Phulping- to physical property, swept away three katti of Bhotekoshi Rural municipality people and damaged different sections on July 16, 2020 had killed five people, of the Kodari Highway to Nepal’s border injured one, buried two houses and dam- with China. After three months of opening aged eight more. of Nepal-China border, floods swept away Other landslides that have oc- the road from Barhabise to Liping. It had curred in the district include one at also swept away 98 houses and damaged Melamchi Bazar on August 3, 2020 had 945 houses2. The flooding resulted from a killed nine workers and buried a house. number natural factors, and were exac- Another at Baruwa of Thampal Rural erbated by human-made factors such as Municipality on August 3 had killed two haphazard construction of infrastructure and damaged five houses. Similarly, 32 and unscientific road construction. An- houses were affected by the landslide in other reason for the large loss of live and Thumpakhar of Sunkoshi Rural Munici- property is the unsatisfactory prepared- pality on August 30. Another landslide ness for such disasters at both the local at Barhabise Municipality on August 30, and policy levels. 1. http://kendrabindu.com/post/170726#.YBN--OgzbIU 2. https://ekantipur.com/ampnews/2015-02-14/403798.html Nepal Human Rights Year Book 2021 79 Damages Caused by the Lidi Land- tato in 63.99 hectares of land and paddy slide in 85.72 hectares. After the landslide the Thirty-five people lost their life, residents of Lidi have been forced to live two were buried, and six were injured temporarily at Baskharka of Jugal Ru- in the landslide of Lidi, Jugal Rural Mu- ral Municipality and were worried about nicipality-2 on August 14, 2020. The land- their crops back in Lidi. The landslide had slide buried 29 houses and 127 houses also damaged all 35 toilets and seven pub- were damaged. Affected families were lic taps that the families there had been relocated to Baskharka of Selang, where using4. they were staying when this report was prepared. Relocation of Settlements The school at Lidi was also buried The high casualties have resulted by the landslide, which affected the edu- largely because people have continued to cation of 234 children who were studying live in the high- risk areas. Many people there. Seventeen children had died in the have continued to live there because they landslide and two were injured. Further, have no place else to go and also because seven children lost their parents in the there have been no efforts by govern- landslide and the health post was also ment to assist their transfer to safer lo- shut down after the disaster. cations. Further, some have stayed back Resettlement to safe locations is because of cultural reasons and other a major concern for the residents of ar- attachments. In many areas locals have eas affected by landslides in the district. been continuously asking for assistance However, unable to access suitable land to move elsewhere. These include about elsewhere many of those who were tempo- people from about 500 households at rarily displaced by the disasters have re- Lampha, Sanchagaun, Lidi, Jhulke, and turned to their origins and have begun re- Nimlung. Experts have also recommend- building their houses, which has exposed ed the relocation of settlements like Lidi. them to high risk. The government declared Sindhupalchok The mismanagement of support to as disaster prone region and sent a team the victims is another issue. Support of of experts to study the vulnerability of NRs. 12.4 million collected for the relief the settlements there on December 2. The of victims of the Jure landslide of August team form the National Reconstruction 2, 2014 remained to be handed over. This Authority and the National Disaster Risk was largely because of dispute among Reduction and Management Center have political parties over how the relief fund submitted a report to the government should be operated. There was discussion with recommendations. The report said between local representatives, Chief Dis- two out of the four settlements studied trict Officer and other stakeholders on its were at high risk to landslides. The report distribution, which was eventually put on said that both Lidi and Nampha were un- a hold reportedly upon orders of the Min- fit for settlement. istry of Home Affairs3. The affected families of Lidi have been moved to Baskharka after the land- Damage to Livelihoods slide, which experts have said is safe. Most of the people at Lidi are en- Those who were moved there said they gaged in agriculture. All the 175 fami- would like to live here but have asked lies there depended on the production of government for support for building the maize, millet, potato and rice. The land- required infrastructure. slide of Lidi damaged maze, millet and po- 3. https://nagariknews.nagariknetwork.com/social-affairs/165480-1543664400.html 4. ibid 80 Natural Disasters in Sindhupalchok and Their Effects on Economic and Social Rights Recommendations • http://neoc.gov.np/uploads/cmsfiles/ The following recommendations file/Situation_Report(Sindhupalcho have been made based on the analysis wk)_20150119102538.pdf above: • https://thehimalayantimes.com/ • Prioritize risk-assessment and reloca- nepal/75-killed-40-missing-in-sindh- tion of people living in areas that are upalchowk-floods-landslides/ at high risk to disasters, particularly • https://kathmandupost.com/province- landslides. no-3/2020/08/15/friday-s-landslide-a- • Ensure sharing of authority for sup- preventable-tragedy-sindhupalchok- porting disaster victims between all villagers-say three tiers of government, and coor- • https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork. dinate actions undertaken by the dif- com/news/sindhupalchowk-devastat- ferent levels.