Banking News – Keeping in mind the notice issued by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Meteorological Forecasting Division, that heavy rainfall with thunderstorms may occur in most parts of the country from Ashoj 9 to 12, Nepal Police has made necessary preparations under the Nepal Police Disaster Monsoon Pre-Preparedness and Response Action Plan 2083 to prevent loss of life and property and to make rescue operations effective.

Keeping this situation in mind, a command post has been established at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority during the heavy rainfall period, with representatives of all security agencies present 24 hours a day, and arrangements for rescue, mobilization, and coordination have also been made. A total of 10,085 personnel have been kept on standby, ready for immediate mobilization with necessary equipment, from Nepal Police Headquarters, Kathmandu Valley Police Office Ranipokhari and subordinate bodies, provincial police offices, all district police offices, and police units down to the police post level.

Similarly, one platoon from the Nepal Police Disaster Response and Training Center, Samakhushi, has been mobilized with disaster rescue equipment and drones for Lumbini Province and one platoon for Gandaki Province. For rescue and management, 500 personnel are on standby at the Nepal Police Disaster Response and Training Center and all seven provincial police disaster management gulms, and a total of 2,125 police personnel from Nepal Police Special Security Battalion, all seven provincial police battalions, Valley Police Special Security Battalion, Nepal Police Armed Police Battalion No. 1, and Kathmandu Valley Armed Police Battalion No. 2 are on 24-hour standby, ready for immediate or phased mobilization as needed.

In this context, instructions have been given by Nepal Police Headquarters to the concerned provincial police offices and subordinate police units to carry out works including pre-preparation in risk-prone areas, mobilization of manpower and rescue teams, management of necessary rescue materials, monitoring of risk areas, mic-ing and public awareness programs, traffic management, patrolling in coastal areas, and coordination with other relevant agencies, as well as other necessary works to be done in disaster response, to minimize loss of life and property from potential disasters including floods, landslides, and inundation, timely rescue and safe relocation of at-risk citizens, and effective response.

Central Police Spokesperson, Deputy Inspector General of Police Abi Narayan Kafle said:

“Keeping in mind the risk of heavy rainfall, police have been mobilized on a large scale with rescue materials in coordination with other security agencies, local levels, and various organizations to minimize loss of life and property. Skilled police personnel trained in disaster rescue have been sent to high-risk provinces, and manpower from Nepal Police Hospital, provincial police hospitals, the Directorate of Information Technology, the Traffic Directorate, the Women, Children and Senior Citizens Directorate, and the Nepal Police Canine Office, which are specialized units of the police, has also been kept on standby.”

Similarly, keeping in mind the safety of vehicles and pedestrians, night-time movement has been completely prohibited, except for emergencies, on highways and road sections including the risk-prone Siddhicharan Lokmarg–Solukhumbu, Tokha Chhahare road section–Nuwakot, Kanti Highway, the road from Bhainse–Bhimfedi–Deurali–Kulekhani to Kathmandu (Makwanpur), the entire BP Highway (Sindhuli and Kavre), Prithvi Lokmarg–Dhading, Narayangadh–Muglin road section–Chitwan, Rapti Highway–various locations in Dang, and the Madan Bhandari Highway–Rolpa.

Similarly, Nepal Police has been actively working by identifying high-risk areas where heavy rainfall may occur, and conducting mic-ing and public awareness programs to alert locals, since heavy rainfall can cause floods, landslides, and inundation, and special caution should be exercised particularly in at-risk roads and settlements near rivers.