Nepal’s flash floods must be an urgent wake-up call to global leaders to prioritise the global water crisis, says WaterAid
Flash flooding in Nepal over the weekend has caused immense devastation, resulting in over 200 deaths, with hundreds still missing and thousands displaced.
This is one of many climate-induced water disasters that have struck Nepal and its neighbouring countries this year, as climate change amplifies the frequency and severity of storms, floods, and heatwaves, and leaving millions more vulnerable to its devastating impact.
WaterAid Nepal, in partnership with the Social Welfare Council, local organisations, and other development partners, is working actively to support affected districts – including the distribution of water purification tablets to stop the spread of deadly disease - in the Bagmati Province.
Sudarshan Neupane, WaterAid Nepal’s Country Director, said:
“As we grapple with this water crisis, it is essential to recognise that those most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change are often the least responsible for causing them.
“To stop the situation from getting any worse, the government must focus on getting safe drinking water and other daily essentials to those who need it most, while also thinking long-term – we must ensure our communities have reliable access to clean water and understand the role clean water plays in preventing the spread of disease.
“Let us come together to support Nepal during this humanitarian crisis and advocate for sustainable water solutions, like flood protection and defenses, to prevent such disasters in the future and help the people of Nepal rebuild their lives safely without further devastation.”
WaterAid is calling on the Nepal government to:
- Ensure that affected communities receive immediate assistance, including safe drinking water, food, shelter, and medical aid as well as establishing temporary shelters for those who have lost their homes.
- Address the critical need for clean water. Communities must be educated about safe water practices, including handwashing, to prevent the spread of diseases.
As the world prepares for COP29, WaterAid is calling on global leaders to unlock more climate adaptation funding and for it to be delivered urgently to the communities most impacted by the climate crisis.
Sudarshan Neupane, WaterAid Nepal’s Country Director, concluded:
“The situation in Nepal is an urgent wake-up call for world leaders to prioritise climate resilience and disaster preparedness.
“Without prioritising water, any efforts for global change will fall short – no-one can adapt to a world without clean, reliable water.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact: Rosie Stewart, Senior Media Officer [email protected], 020 7793 4965. Or call our after-hours press line on +44 (0)7887 521 552, or email [email protected].
About WaterAid
WaterAid is an international not-for-profit determined to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. We work alongside communities in 22 countries to secure these three essentials that transform people’s lives. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 28 million people with clean water and nearly 29 million people with decent toilets.
For more information, visit our website wateraid.org/uk; follow us on Twitter @WaterAidUK, @WaterAid or @WaterAidPress; or find us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.
- 703 million people in the world – almost one in ten – don’t have clean water close to home.
- 2.2 billion people in the world – more than one in four – don’t have safe water.
- Almost 2 billion people in the world – one in four – lack soap and/or water to wash their hands at home, if they have a place at all.
- 1.5 billion people in the world – almost one in five – don’t have a decent toilet of their own.
- 570 million people in the world – 1 in 14 – have a decent toilet but have to share it with people outside their family. This compromises the privacy, dignity and safety of women and girls.1
- Almost 400,000 children under five die every year due to diseases caused by unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene. That's more than 1000 children a day, or almost one child every one and a half minutes.2
- Investing in safely managed water, sanitation and hygiene services provides up to 21 times more value than it costs.3
1: WHO/UNICEF (2023), Progress on household drinking water, sanitation and hygiene 2000-2022: special focus on gender (accessed 11 Jul 2023)
2: WHO (2023), Burden of disease attributable to unsafe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene: 2019 update (accessed 24 Jul 2023)
3: WaterAid (2021), Mission-critical: Invest in water, sanitation and hygiene for a healthy and green economic recovery (accessed 1 Nov 2023).
