October 24: Continuous rainfall during last week resulted in floods and landslides in many places of the country. The natural disaster has been harsh upon the farmers, especially during the harvesting season. The floods and landslides caused by the unseasonal rainfall damaged 258,000 metric tons of paddy in different parts of the country.

According to the preliminary data compiled by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, a total of 258,092 metric tons of paddy worth Rs 7.22 billion have been damaged in Province 1, Lumbini Province and Far Western Province.

The incessant rainfall since October 17 caused floods and landslides at many places. Lumbini Province, Province 1 and Far Western Provinces were the most affected by the natural disaster. The government has so far compiled the preliminary data of only these three provinces. The ministry has stated that other regions have not faced much impact and that the compiled data would be collected by Tuesday, October 26.

According to the ministry, Lumbini Province was the worst-hit area by the floods and the least impacted area was Province 1. A total of 161,223 metric tons of paddy worth Rs 4.51 billion planted on 42,427 hectares of land in Lumbini have been damaged. In the Far-Western Province, 68,400 metric tons of paddy worth Rs 1.91 billion planted on 18,000 hectares of land have been completely damaged.

Similarly, 28,469 metric tons of paddy worth Rs 800 million planted on 7,492 hectares of land in Province 1 have been damaged. Banke, Bardiya, Kapilvastu, Rupandehi in Lumbini Province, Kailali and Kanchanpur in the Far-Western Province, Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts in Province 1 have suffered the most damage.

According to Prakash Kumar Sanjel, joint secretary and spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the figures released by the ministry are only the preliminary data. Full details of the damage in other districts would be released on Tuesday.

“The ministry will decide on the relief and compensation to be provided to the affected farmers only after receiving the exact figures of the damage,” he told New Business Age.

Photo: Rss