Nepal’s flash floods: How can communities rebuild after a disaster?
Disaster researcher Dr. Nimesh Dhungana discusses the challenges of long-term recovery following Nepal's recent flash floods. He argues that while the state is effective at immediate emergency response, it often fails to maintain transparency and community engagement during the reconstruction phase.
Why it matters
Understanding the gap between emergency relief and long-term rehabilitation is crucial for improving disaster governance and democratic accountability.
On August 26, floods hit Nepal’s Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts, wiping away entire towns and communities. Roads and bridges were washed away, and telecommunications networks were down. The immediate focus was on rescuing people trapped under debris and providing relief to those affected. A month on, the focus has now shifted to rehabilitation, rebuilding and long-term recovery.
The Hindu spoke to Dr. Nimesh Dhungana, Senior Lecturer in Disaster Studies and Global Health at the University of Manchester’s Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI), who studies disasters through the lens of governance, democracy and accountability, about recovery after the devastating flash floods. Dr. Dhungana describes himself as an accidental disaster researcher who started studying disasters after the 2015 Nepal earthquake. He also studied the Himalayan country’s response to the COVID pandemic. Edited excerpts:
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