Kathmandu: Prime Minister Balendra Shah has said all government ministries and subordinate bodies have stepped up preparations to minimize risks that could arise due to weather. On a social media post today, PM Shah stated that various alerts, public notices, citizen appeals, and press releases were issued in the past 24 hours to accelerate preparedness.
There has been incessant rain in various parts of the country since this morning, he cited the Department of Meteorology’s forecast that heavy rainfall and storms could occur in different areas of the country on September 25-27. The PM emphasized that precautionary actions are key for disaster management. He further said in the past 24 hours, chief district officers of all 77 districts have been instructed to maintain high alert.
District security committee meetings have been held, and the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force have been kept on standby. All three security agencies have made announcement on the riverbank areas to alert locals, and full preparations for disaster response have been made. Prime Minister Shah has urged one and all to avoid travel on highways at night as much as possible, not to undertake unnecessarily long journeys, and to stay in safe places.
He said that a ‘stop, wait, and see’ policy has been implemented, where each security checkpoint on the highway only allows vehicles to move forward after confirming with the previous checkpoint that the road section is completely safe.
The PM added there are instructions not to operate vehicles at night on risky road sections. In view of potential floods, landslides, and river erosion, heavy equipment like excavators, loaders, and bulldozers have been arranged in advance and kept ready for deployment near risky road sections.
He mentioned that all road division offices have been directed to remain active 24 hours a day and regularly provide updated information about road conditions (open/blocked). According to Prime Minister Shah, coordination with relevant business operators should be done to move domestic and foreign tourists on trekking and mountaineering trips in the Himalayan and hilly areas to safe locations if necessary, as well as hotels.
All 753 local governments have been instructed to hold meetings of the local disaster management committees to make necessary preparations, immediately relocate residents from high-risk settlements to safe locations, and for all chief administrative officers to stay in regular contact with the ministry.
Even during public holidays, civil servants have been directed to stay safe while being ready to respond to any potential disasters, the PM noted.
In any emergency, please contact Hello Government at 1111 or 9851145045, Hello Home at 1112, Nepal Police at 100, Armed Police Force at 1114, District Emergency Operation Center at 1234, Health Helpline at 1115, or your nearest District Administration Office or security agency,” Prime Minister Shah said.
He also urged people to dial 1155 to get weather forecast information.
