Bhubaneswar: The floods in Nepal were not merely the result of a natural phenomenon but also the consequence of a critical failure by human society, senior Nepali journalist Birat Anupam said at the Earth Again Conference 2026 in Bhubaneswar.

Speaking during a session at the three-day conference, Anupam said floods had affected only five districts of Nepal but had impacted nearly 10% of the country's economy. He also claimed that the actual death toll was much higher than the figures being reported.

According to Anupam, a major communication failure contributed to the scale of the disaster. Although people were alerted about the possibility of floods, the warnings were too general and did not adequately convey the seriousness of the situation.

“The message was not clear,” Anupam said, explaining that people received information about the floods but did not perceive the warning as an indication of an extraordinary or potentially catastrophic situation.

Reflecting on the aftermath of the disaster, he said Nepalese citizens were currently more focused on rebuilding what had been lost than discussing the future.

“Everyone is talking about the future after the Nepal disaster, but we Nepalese are now busy rebuilding our past. We have almost completely lost our history and need to rebuild it. The future can come later,” he said.

Anupam also highlighted the role of journalists who reported on the disaster despite the challenges, saying only a small number of Nepali journalists had shown the courage to undertake reporting from affected areas.

He stressed that dealing with disasters originating in the Himalayan region was a major challenge that required cooperation among India, Nepal and China. Countries in the region, he said, should work together on disaster management and preparedness.

Nepal should also learn from Odisha's experience in disaster management, Anupam said, particularly in developing systems that can minimise loss of life and property during natural disasters.

He called for government policies to be framed with greater emphasis on protecting nature and urged countries to strengthen cooperation on disaster management.

Anupam further said environmental and climate reporting should not be treated as a specialised “beat” but should become part of mainstream journalism.

He made the observations while responding to questions from Kanak News presenter Swastika Panda.

The third edition of the Earth Again Conference 2026 was inaugurated by Odisha Governor Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati. Odisha Minister for Odia Language, Literature and Culture Suryabanshi Suraj, Utkal University Vice-Chancellor Prof Chandi Prasad Nanda, Eastern Media Limited Chairman and Managing Director Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and Sambad and Kanak News Editor Tanaya Patnaik were present at the inaugural session.

The three-day conference is being held across two halls at Utkal University. Sessions at the main auditorium are focusing on environmental issues and development, while the Maharaja Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati Auditorium is hosting discussions on disaster management.

Experts from Odisha, across India and abroad are participating in discussions on climate change, its causes and consequences, natural disasters, environmental protection and the creation of a greener and more sustainable planet.

Environmentalists, intellectuals and students are also participating in the conference, which seeks to promote wider dialogue and collective action on climate and environmental challenges.