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The head of UN Project Services, Jorge Moreira da Silva, briefing journalists in New York via video link after joining a team from UNOPS in Nepal, described the glacier collapse on August 26 as one of the most destructive and deadliest climate disasters ever.
The survivors told him about a a wall of water more than 100 meters high, traveling at a speed of 180 kilometers per hour, which destroyed 60 kilometers of the valley in a matter of seconds.
“We don’t deal with regular flooding,” he said.
Swept away
More than 1,500 people lost their lives and 5,600 people are still missing. About 100,000 people were affected, including more than 30,000 children.
More than 100 bridges collapsed, while 13 hydroelectric dams and 23 schools were destroyed. About 2.2 million tons of debris and sediment now cover what were once homes, schools, roads and rivers.
With so many bridges missing, journeys that once took a few minutes on foot can now take 12 hours, he said. But the refugee community has expressed resilience and determination to return to their homes.
Recovery needs are estimated at $4.8 billion, equivalent to 10 percent of Nepal’s gross domestic product (GDP). In US terms, that amounts to more than $3 trillion.
A $50 million appeal for direct aid has so far only raised $24.5 million.
“There is a good perception from the international community of the need to provide support, however perception alone is not enough. We need a strong commitment,” said Mr. Moreira da Silva, adding that Nepal is planning a treaty conference.
‘Climate injustice’
He called the disaster one of the clearest expressions of climate injustice.
Nepal, a least developed country, emits only 0.08 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, but is disproportionately impacted by climate change..
It is unfair, he said, to ask Nepal to bear the costs of recovering from a climate crisis that is not its responsibility.
The government is completing a post-disaster needs assessment and preparing a recovery plan, with support from the UN and multilateral development banks.
Building back better requires investment in early warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure and planning, Moreira da Silva said.
He also urged developed countries to honor their commitment to provide $1.3 trillion a year in climate finance to developing countries by 2035, and called on all countries to reduce emissions to keep the 1.5°C target within reach.
