The devastating floods and landslides triggered by continues rainfall have killed at least 151 people in Nepal, with more than 50 still missing, authorities confirmed on Sunday. The downpour, which started two days ago, has wreaked havoc across the Himalayan nation, causing widespread destruction and chaos.
According to reports, so far over 3,600 people have been evacuated from flood-hit areas, but officials fear the death toll may rise as flash floods continue to cause devastation. The rescue efforts are ongoing as the heavy rains have displaced thousands, damaged homes, and left entire regions isolated due to road blockage by landslides.
Residents in Kathmandu described terrifying moments when floodwaters surged into homes, forcing them to take desperate measures. “As the water levels rose, we had to cut the roof and get out. We jumped from one roof to another and finally reached a concrete house,” Bishnu Maya Shretha told to BBC.
Landslides have buried entire sections of the Prithvi Highway, a major route near Kathmandu, leaving dozens of vehicles trapped. Rescue teams recovered 35 bodies from vehicles buried under landslides on Saturday. In Bhaktapur, east of the capital, a landslide claimed five lives, including a pregnant woman and a four-year-old girl, according to state media reports.
In response to the disaster, Nepal has announced a three-day closure of schools in the affected regions. “We have urged the concerned authorities to close schools in the affected areas for three days,” Lakshmi Bhattarai, a spokesperson for the education ministry, told Reuters. Many schools and university buildings have suffered severe structural damage, further complicating recovery efforts.
Six football players lost their lives in a landslide at a training facility operated by the All Nepal Football Association in Makwanpur, southwest of Kathmandu. Elsewhere, in Dhading, two bodies were recovered from a bus buried by a landslide, though several more passengers remain missing. In another tragic incident, four people were swept away by floodwaters in the Nakkhu River in the southern Kathmandu valley.
Though some areas saw respite as rain eased on Sunday, many regions remain at risk. The Bagmati River surged 7 feet above its danger mark in some parts of the capital, while flash floods have inundated large swaths of the Kathmandu valley, home to four million people.
Climate experts point to the haphazard urbanization and poor drainage systems that have exacerbated the damage. “I’ve never before seen flooding on this scale in Kathmandu,” said Arun Bhakta Shrestha from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). The organization has urged the government to invest in both engineered and nature-based infrastructure solutions to mitigate the worsening impacts of climate change.
Authorities continue to issue warnings as rain is forecast to persist until Tuesday, though some rivers, such as the Koshi in southeast Nepal, have begun to recede.
About Author
Leave a Reply