The death toll from floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains across Nepal has risen to 192, with 30 people still missing, according to officials on Sunday. The widespread devastation has affected large parts of eastern and central Nepal, with flash floods and landslides causing significant damage since Friday.
The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that search and rescue operations are ongoing, with the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force working together to save lives. As of now, over 4,000 people affected by the flooding have been rescued. Additionally, the Nepal Army has airlifted 162 people from various parts of the country to safety. Spokesperson Rishiram Pokharel reported that 94 people have been injured in flood-related incidents, and relief materials, including food grains, have been distributed to those rescued.
National highways across the country have been blocked by landslides since Saturday, stranding hundreds of people. Efforts are underway to clear these routes, with the Tribhuvan Highway, which connects Kathmandu to other districts, reopened after temporary closures. Many other highways remain obstructed, causing significant disruptions to transportation and rescue efforts.
The flooding has severely damaged infrastructure, with at least 322 houses and 16 bridges destroyed across Nepal. In the Balkhu area on the outskirts of Kathmandu, meals were distributed to around 400 people displaced by the disaster, thanks to the efforts of social workers and local authorities.
Eyewitnesses have described the flooding as the worst they have seen in decades. Arun Bhakta Shrestha, a climate and environmental expert at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), remarked, “I’ve never before seen flooding on this scale in Kathmandu.” The Bagmati River, which flows through the capital, surged above danger levels after relentless rain battered the region on Friday and Saturday.
A report from ICIMOD attributed the intense rainfall to a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal and an unusually northerly position of the monsoon trough. Scientists have warned that climate change is affecting rainfall patterns across Asia, with unplanned construction on floodplains exacerbating the impact of floods by reducing areas for water retention and drainage.
The floods and landslides have displaced hundreds of families and swept away homes, leaving thousands of people stranded. Efforts to restore normalcy are ongoing, but the scale of the destruction continues to challenge rescue and relief operations across the country.
