Nepal: The Land Of Beauty And Deep Sorrow

The flash floods that devastated the northern part of Nepal on the Tibet-China border can only be seen as a never-ending, almost annual cycle of natural disasters that has laid the Himalayan country low. For Nepal, there seems to be no respite, for as soon as the country emerges painfully from one disaster, another hits again, be it an earthquake, floods, or avalanches. Last year, there was a 7.1-magnitude earthquake which caused a string of aftershocks and devastation and human suffering. Now, in these unearthly flash floods, more than 250 people have died, and entire districts have been wiped out. Watching videos of the flood is as close as we can come to seeing an apocalypse unfold.

A Nation Repeatedly Hit By Disaster

Nepal was just recovering from the national sorrow of the death of the world’s most death-daring and greatest mountaineer, Nimal Purja, in an avalanche when this flood hit. It is yet too early to figure out the exact number of people who have perished, as reports are coming in of many tourists and pilgrims being missing. For Nepal, tragedy and sorrow have been constant companions with brief intervals of triumph and joy, like when a new Gen Z government came to power after overthrowing a corrupt government.

True that Nepal sits on a geographically unstable tectonic zone, but how can a small state survive such endless rounds of disasters that have stuck the country in an ever-expanding vortex of poverty and economic decline? Nepal has the status of a Least Developed State (LDC) and was scheduled to climb out of it on November 24. However, it has sought a 3-year deferral from the UN, citing delays in transition. The LDC status gives it reduced tariffs, market access, and funds at low rates.

Economic Vulnerability Deepens

Nepal, though a small state, has grown by only 4% over the last three decades, showing a sort of stagnation brought about by recurring natural disasters. What helps Nepal’s monetary stability is the fixed rate arrangement of Re 1 to 1.6 Nepalese rupees with India, and this has also been an economic buffer. Its closeness to India and the open border are all very crucial to its survival. Nepal has high remittance but low investment, a situation similar to that of Kerala.

If the LDC status is withdrawn, that would be another economic blow from which Nepal will not be able to recover. This would mean more tariffs for its exports, like garments and carpets, which will make them unable to compete in the global market. It can be assumed that after these floods its LDC status will continue.

Nepal is a nation full of pride and an emerging, ambitious Gen Z. It is in India’s interests to see that this beautiful mountainous nation remains strong against the vicissitudes of nature.

Published on: Thursday, August 27, 2026, 10:01 PM IST