Major floods and landslides triggered by relentless rainfall have battered Nepal, killing almost 200 people and causing widespread destruction.
Officials reported on Monday that the death toll from the monsoon floods and landslides has risen to 193 across the Himalayan nation, with at least 31 people still missing and many others injured.
The catastrophic floodwaters have destroyed many homes, cut off highways, and downed power lines.
Almost one-third of the country’s power supply, around 1,100 MW of electricity, was shut down by flooding and nearly all the country’s highways, including those connecting the capital city of Kathmandu to the rest of the country, have been blocked by flooding, landslides and debris, according to police.
Maya Hhapa Magar, a resident of Balkhu, a suburb of Kathmandu, recounted the terrifying moment the floodwaters arrived and wreaked havoc.
"It was around 4:30 in the morning. The flood entered here and swept away everything. Everything is destroyed. There is nothing out here. We don't have anything to eat. Everything is swept away by the flood. We were at least able to escape and save ourselves," said the survivor.
Rainfall of this intensity has not been seen in over a decade, with some of the worst-hit areas reporting up to 322.2 mm over the last few days.
"Compared to last year, the water level has increased. It has reached the highest level. I had seen such a flood around 15 to 20 years ago. This flooding is something unimaginable for us," said Rajesh Kumar Maharjan, a resident of hard-hit Lalitpur.
Nepal has seen higher than average monsoon rainfalls since the monsoon started in early June.
Nepal floods wreak havoc, killing nearly 200
Macao has been emerging as a global hub for conventions and exhibitions in recent years by exploring the enormous opportunities in the sector, driving the region to advance its economic diversification and embrace a brighter future.
Macao has received many awards this year, such as the Best Convention City (Asia) and the Best BT-MICE City, showcasing the recognition for and influence of Macao's exhibition industry.
More than 1,000 electronic game enthusiasts from all over the world gathered recently in Macao to participate in a esports themed event.
Su Zhili, organizer of the event, said that Macao's rich experience in hosting large-scale events, coupled with its good infrastructure, has driven him to choose the region as an ideal destination to hold such an activity.
"Macao has held many similar large-scale events. It has rich experience, and the facilities at the venue are relatively mature, so we can start our work comfortably," said Su.
During the first three quarters of 2024, Macao held more than 1,000 conferences and exhibitions in total.
"We will invite more professional, special conferences to be held in Macao and also cultivate more exhibition brands with international influence in Macao, so as to promote Macao's exhibitions to be more market-oriented, professional, international, digital and greener from various aspects. This is our goal," said Elaine Wong, member of the Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute.
In addition, multiple large exhibitions and conferences, such as the Macao International Trade and Investment fair, the Macao Franchise Expo, and the International Infrastructure Investment and Construction Forum, are held regularly in Macao.
With the introduction of a series of policies and measures to facilitate the exchanges between the mainland and Macao, as well as the construction and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, Macao's convention and exhibition industry will embrace more opportunities for development in the foreseeable future.
"We have such a good industrial base in the Greater Bay Area. The mode of 'Convention and Exhibition + Industry' not only integrates the industries of Macao, but also the industries of the Greater Bay Area. In addition, Macao actively integrates into the national development and plays a role in the Belt and Road. Why are we so confident in Macao's convention and exhibition sector? Because it is backed by the motherland, and the country gives Macao great support," said Alan Ho, chairman of the Macao Association of Convention, Exhibition and Tourism Sectors.
Macao emerges as global hub for conventions and exhibitions, driving economic diversification and international recognition
