Kathmandu— MPs from various political parties in Nepal have urged national unity and collective action in humanitarian efforts following the devastating flood that occurred on August 26 along the Bhotekoshi river in Rasuwa. The call was made during a meeting of the National Assembly, the upper house of the Federal Parliament, which convened for the first time since the disaster.

Calls for Rescue and Relief

Kamala Panta from the Nepali Congress emphasized the need to deploy advanced equipment and special personnel for rescue efforts. She also stressed that the government should inform Parliament about ongoing rescue operations and highlighted the importance of national unity in facing such disasters. Jhakku Prasad Subedi, a lawmaker from the Nepali Communist Party (NCP), called for rising above political divisions during relief efforts and suggested prioritizing the safety of pregnant women and children among the displaced.

Addressing Climate Justice

Dr. Prem Prasad Dangal from CPN (UML) stated that bodies are still scattered along riverbanks, necessitating increased coordination between all levels of government for search efforts. He also emphasized the need to take initiatives for climate justice to protect Earth and human civilization. Suresh Kumar Ale Magar from NCP echoed this sentiment, calling for international attention on climate justice due to the disaster caused by climate change.

Modernizing Early Warning Systems

Nepali Congress's Kamaladevi Panta urged not ignoring flood and landslide warnings and taking immediate action. Yubaraj Sharma from Nepali Congress pointed out that a weak early warning system contributed to significant damage, calling for modernization of the system. Narayan Datta Mishra suggested studying risky glaciers in northern Nepal and planning disaster-resilient infrastructure.

(With inputs from RN)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.