Nepal to get $20 million from climate fund after deadly August flood

Nepal will receive US$20 million (S$25 million) in aid from the United Nations' climate loss and damage fund after the devastating flood along its border with China's Tibet region in August, the government said late on Thursday.



The Aug 26 flood killed about 1,500 people and more than 5,000 are still missing.



The flood affected about 60,000 people from 15,000 families, according to official data, and caused losses estimated at about US$2.7 billion to infrastructure including roads, bridges, schools and 13 hydropower plants.



Early official estimates show reconstruction bills could top US$4.7 billion.



The UN climate aid accounts for less than 1% of what Nepal needs to cover the cost of the flood.



The support from the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) was to "help address the severe damage caused by a climate-related disaster," the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment said in a statement.



Nepal had sought the assistance in a letter to the FRLD in August, less than a week after the flood.