A man carries a bag as he wades through a flooded street along the swollen Bagmati River after heavy rains in Kathmandu, Nepal, yesterday. Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters
According to CNN
In Nepal, heavy rains, lightning, and floods have claimed at least 22 lives, and 12 people remain missing, according to official sources.
The most destruction has been recorded in Ilam, an eastern mountainous district, where landslides destroyed several settlements and killed at least 18 people; another 7 are missing.
In a family of six, a landslide destroyed their home in their sleep, local officials said. Due to prolonged rains, roads remain blocked or closed, hindering access to the affected and evacuation.
According to authorities, helicopters are needed for rapid evacuations, but poor visibility and ongoing rainfall hinder rescue workers. Three people died from a lightning strike in another region, and one person died in a flood in the south of the country. The government said that 114 people have been rescued and brought to safety.
Government response and impact on infrastructure
The government issued a stringent warning for heavy rainfall in the eastern and central regions from Saturday to Monday, while closing major highways due to the risk of landslides. On Saturday night, air connectivity was suspended due to poor visibility and rains, but flights resumed on Sunday.
The main roads between Kathmandu and the regions are partially closed or blocked due to landslides and other constraints. Many people are returning to the capital after Dashain celebrations, which is placing additional strain on the roads, while authorities are closely monitoring the situation and planning further evacuation and rescue-support actions.
In the capital, some stretches along the river have flooded, but there are currently no major damages or casualties reported. The government has declared national holidays through Monday to ease evacuations and ensure mobility for rescue services during the emergency.
This wave of downpours is a reminder of the monsoon season: earlier downpours caused heavy losses – 224 dead and 158 injured. Local authorities emphasize that the monsoon season usually ends by mid-September; however, the current weather has persisted longer, intensifying efforts to monitor and restore infrastructure.
