Nepal's total physical damage from last month's massive floods is estimated to reach 2.4 trillion won. With most social infrastructure destroyed, reconstruction expenses are expected to exceed 6 trillion won.
According to Nepalese outlet Online Khabar on the 14th (local time), the Nepal government recently said total physical damage from the major floods on the 26th of last month is estimated at 27,448,000,000 Nepalese rupees (about 2.4 trillion won). It added that reconstruction expenses are expected to require 72,331,000,000 Nepalese rupees (about 6.3 trillion won).
A government official had previously estimated $4 billion to $5 billion (about 5.5 trillion to 6.9 trillion won) would be needed for recovery expenses, but this is the first time the government has released precise figures.
In particular, damage to infrastructure alone amounted to 172,340,000,000 Nepalese rupees (about 1.5 trillion won), exceeding 60% of total physical damage. Among this, damage in the energy sector, including hydropower plants and transmission lines, was the largest at 134,690,000,000 Nepalese rupees (about 1.1 trillion won). That accounts for 80% of total infrastructure damage.
Damage to housing, schools, and cultural facilities was assessed at 67,840,000,000 Nepalese rupees (about 600 billion won). Roads suffered 22,000,000,000 Nepalese rupees (about 200 billion won) in damage, and bridges 11,350,000,000 Nepalese rupees (about 100 billion won). Earlier, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said 7,570 private buildings were either completely or partially destroyed and 32,933 people were directly affected.
Damage to irrigation supply facilities totaled 1,640,000,000 Nepalese rupees (about 140 billion won). Potable water systems followed at 1,380,000,000 Nepalese rupees (about 120 billion won), and communications sustained about 620,000,000 Nepalese rupees (about 54 billion won) in damage.
A government official said, "Of the total reconstruction expenses, we estimate 9,000,000,000 Nepalese rupees (about 79 billion won) will be needed for emergency repairs during the first six months." When a magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck Nepal in 2015, killing about 9,000 people and damaging 1 million buildings, recovery expenses reportedly totaled $9 billion (about 12.4 trillion won).
On the 26th of last month, a major flood occurred in the upper reaches of the Himalayan mountain region. More than 1,400 people were killed and over 5,600 went missing in Nepal and China's Tibet Autonomous Region. Among the missing were nine Korean employees (six from Doosan Enerbility and three from Korea South-East Power) who were building the Upper Trishuli (UT)-1 hydropower plant in Nepal.