Landslide Loss and Damage in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal: Comparing Income Groups with Implications for Compensation and Relief
Abstract The 2014 Jure landslide in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal, caused significant loss and damage to ecosystems and livelihoods in the area. In the direct aftermath of the landslide, several disaster loss assessments were conducted, with the aim of counting casualties, injured people, and damage...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2018-06-01
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Series: | International Journal of Disaster Risk Science |
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Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13753-018-0178-5 |
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author | Kees van der Geest |
author_facet | Kees van der Geest |
author_sort | Kees van der Geest |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Abstract The 2014 Jure landslide in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal, caused significant loss and damage to ecosystems and livelihoods in the area. In the direct aftermath of the landslide, several disaster loss assessments were conducted, with the aim of counting casualties, injured people, and damaged houses and infrastructure. Although useful and necessary in their own right, such rapid assessments do not reveal the true extent and significance of the losses and damages that people in disaster areas face, including their monetary value. We address this gap, based on a comprehensive household survey (N = 234), as well as other, qualitative research tools. Our results highlight the importance of differentiating between loss and damage in absolute monetary terms as opposed to losses relative to annual income. We find a stark contrast between the high absolute losses incurred by nonpoor households, and the high relative losses—up to 14 times their annual income—experienced by poor households. These results have important implications for policy that addresses loss and damage, not only of landslides but also of other disasters. Loss and damage assessments need to take the livelihood characteristics of affected households into account to identify and support those most in need of compensation and relief. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:49:20Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-09bfe37fbe07455795d4c532cfbf8e4f |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2095-0055 2192-6395 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:49:20Z |
publishDate | 2018-06-01 |
publisher | SpringerOpen |
record_format | Article |
series | International Journal of Disaster Risk Science |
spelling | doaj.art-09bfe37fbe07455795d4c532cfbf8e4f2022-12-22T03:15:31ZengSpringerOpenInternational Journal of Disaster Risk Science2095-00552192-63952018-06-019215716610.1007/s13753-018-0178-5Landslide Loss and Damage in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal: Comparing Income Groups with Implications for Compensation and ReliefKees van der Geest0United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human SecurityAbstract The 2014 Jure landslide in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal, caused significant loss and damage to ecosystems and livelihoods in the area. In the direct aftermath of the landslide, several disaster loss assessments were conducted, with the aim of counting casualties, injured people, and damaged houses and infrastructure. Although useful and necessary in their own right, such rapid assessments do not reveal the true extent and significance of the losses and damages that people in disaster areas face, including their monetary value. We address this gap, based on a comprehensive household survey (N = 234), as well as other, qualitative research tools. Our results highlight the importance of differentiating between loss and damage in absolute monetary terms as opposed to losses relative to annual income. We find a stark contrast between the high absolute losses incurred by nonpoor households, and the high relative losses—up to 14 times their annual income—experienced by poor households. These results have important implications for policy that addresses loss and damage, not only of landslides but also of other disasters. Loss and damage assessments need to take the livelihood characteristics of affected households into account to identify and support those most in need of compensation and relief.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13753-018-0178-5Compensation and reliefImpact assessmentLandslidesLoss and damage analysisNepal |
spellingShingle | Kees van der Geest Landslide Loss and Damage in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal: Comparing Income Groups with Implications for Compensation and Relief International Journal of Disaster Risk Science Compensation and relief Impact assessment Landslides Loss and damage analysis Nepal |
title | Landslide Loss and Damage in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal: Comparing Income Groups with Implications for Compensation and Relief |
title_full | Landslide Loss and Damage in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal: Comparing Income Groups with Implications for Compensation and Relief |
title_fullStr | Landslide Loss and Damage in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal: Comparing Income Groups with Implications for Compensation and Relief |
title_full_unstemmed | Landslide Loss and Damage in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal: Comparing Income Groups with Implications for Compensation and Relief |
title_short | Landslide Loss and Damage in Sindhupalchok District, Nepal: Comparing Income Groups with Implications for Compensation and Relief |
title_sort | landslide loss and damage in sindhupalchok district nepal comparing income groups with implications for compensation and relief |
topic | Compensation and relief Impact assessment Landslides Loss and damage analysis Nepal |
url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13753-018-0178-5 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT keesvandergeest landslidelossanddamageinsindhupalchokdistrictnepalcomparingincomegroupswithimplicationsforcompensationandrelief |