The deadly flash flood that tore through Nepal in August is a "defining moment" for both the country and the international community, according to the head of the UN field agency which builds roads, schools and clinics in crisis zones.
UN Project Services chief, Jorge Moreira da Silva, briefed journalists in New York by videolink after joining teams from UNOPS in Nepal, describing the glacier collapse on 26 August as one of the most destructive and deadliest climate disasters ever.
Survivors told him of a wall of water more than 100 metres high, travelling at 180 kilometres per hour, which devastated 60 kilometres of valley in a matter of seconds.
"We are not dealing with a normal flood," he said.
Swept away
More than 1,500 people lost their lives and 5,600 remain missing. Some 100,000 people have been affected, including more than 30,000 children.
More than 100 bridges collapsed, while 13 hydropower dams and 23 schools were destroyed. Some 2.2 million tonnes of debris and sediment now cover what used to be homes, schools, roads and rivers.
With so many bridges gone, a journey that once took a few minutes on foot can now take 12 hours, he said. Yet displaced communities had expressed resilience and a determination to return home.
Recovery needs are estimated at $4.8 billion, equivalent to 10 per cent of Nepal's gross domestic product (GDP). In US-terms, that would represent over $3 trillion.
A flash appeal for $50 million in immediate support has so far raised only $24.5 million.
"There is a good perception from the international community about the need to provide support, but perception is not enough. We need a strong commitment," Mr. Moreira da Silva said, adding that Nepal is planning a pledging conference.
'Climate injustice'
He called the disaster one of the most tangible expressions of climate injustice.
Nepal, a least developed country, emits just 0.08 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet is disproportionately affected by climate change.
It is not fair, he said, to ask Nepal to bear the cost of recovering from a climate crisis for which it bears no responsibility.
The government is finalising a post-disaster needs assessment and preparing a recovery plan, with support from the UN and multilateral development banks.
Building back better will require investment in early warning systems, climate-resilient infrastructure and planning, Mr. Moreira da Silva said.
He also urged developed countries to honour their commitment to provide $1.3 trillion a year in climate finance to developing countries by 2035, and called on all nations to cut emissions to keep the 1.5°C target within reach.
