Landslide en route

#Climatecrisis in #nepal

“The Goddess must be really angry with us, the Nepalese people!”

This is what Malarani, one of our farmer partners in rural Surkhet remarked when we were stuck in her village located at 2,000 meters above sea level on our field visit in the second week of September.

While for us, the inhabitants of urban Nepal, the heavy rains, landslides, and horrifying roads would be an unforgettable and scary experience, for people like Malarani, they are a part of their daily lives.

Landslide en route
Landslide en route to our destination

Because of the delayed rains, her green-golden maize crops in lush green fields were mostly going to be ruined. On top of that, the nearly non-existent roads due to the recent landslides made it difficult for her to sell vegetables and milk which are her major income source.

This is how climate change is impacting rural Nepal, it is not in the future anymore. It is right here, staring at our faces demanding us to take action.

The heavy rains arrived again on the day of Vijaya Dashmi, which ironically marks the end of the monsoon season. The rains have been persistent causing many landslides across the country. The Babai and Rapti rivers are already flowing above the danger mark and the Narayani river is up to its 9m danger threshold. As I write this post, it is still pouring outside.

All I can think of right now is Malarani and the impact of this sudden rain on her life. This will not be the last time it happens, going forward it will get worse.

The big question is “How prepared are we to deal with the consequences of climate change in Nepal?”

I am still working on finding my answers, do let me know your thoughts on this and how we can collectively find solutions.

Written by Ms. Poonam Shukla, Co-founder, Sattva Nepal

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