Climate change among key drivers of severe flooding in Nepal: Report

A study has found that climate change is one of the key drivers behind the devastating floods that struck Nepal last month.

The Himalayan nation experienced extremely heavy rainfall late last month, leading to at least 244 deaths and significant damage to infrastructure, including roads and bridges.

The capital Kathmandu and surrounding areas were hit by flash floods, landslides, and riverine flooding from rivers such as Bagmati, Sapakoshi, Narayani, Sardu, Rew, and Nakkhu, along with their tributaries.

According to a study conducted by researchers from Nepal, India, Sweden, Australia, the U.S. , and UK, the rainfall occurred at the end of the monsoon season when soils were already saturated. "Meaning that the three days of very heavy rainfall were the main cause of the impacts," said the report released by World Weather Attribution.

The study highlighted that rapid urbanization, which saw a 386% increase in built-up areas between 1990 and 2020, and deforestation, with a 28% reduction in forest cover from 1989 to 2019 in the Kathmandu Valley, "disrupted natural water processes, increasing surface runoff and overwhelming drainage systems, while building on flood plains and near rivers has increased the exposure of people and assets to floods."

It cautioned that low-income communities and informal settlements located along riverbanks are "disproportionately affected by floods due to poor infrastructure, inadequate access to resources, and limited disaster preparedness."

"These populations face heightened risk, with low literacy rates, particularly among women, further restricting their access to disaster information and resources," it said.

While policies and regulations are in place, the report noted that "challenges with implementation and enforcement have left the valley vulnerable to the increasing impacts of floods." It emphasized that "comprehensive spatial planning, combined with disaster risk reduction and adaptation, effective policy enforcement, and increased public awareness, are crucial to mitigate flood risks" across Nepal.