At least 21 people have died, five are missing and five others have been injured across Nepal after four days of torrential rain triggered floods and landslides in several parts of the country, authorities said on Sunday. The severe weather from September 24 to 27 also forced the evacuation of around 3,000 people and damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes.The latest warning came after the Narayani River in central Nepal crossed the danger level of nine metres on Sunday morning and entered settlements. Several highways leading to Chitwan, a key road junction connecting different parts of the country, also remained blocked by landslides.Authorities warned residents in low-lying areas to remain alert as the continuing rain increased the risk of further flooding and landslides.
Landslides account for most deaths
According to an update from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), landslides accounted for 14 of the deaths. Five people remain missing in landslide-related incidents.Floods have killed four people, while three others died following continuous heavy rainfall.A separate landslide in Nishikhola Village Council of Baglung district killed four people on Sunday morning, local authorities said.“In Nishikhola Village Council of Baglung District, four people have died after being buried in a landslide. The incident occurred this morning in Ward Number 3, Hardra,” Prem Bahadur Gharti Magar, the deputy chairperson of the village council, told ANI over the phone.The Kaligandaki River in Baglung has also swept away houses and bridges, cutting off road connectivity in parts of the district.
Rivers blocked by landslides
NDRRMA earlier issued a high-alert advisory for people living along major river basins after landslides blocked or partly obstructed river flows.A landslide in Chame, the headquarters of Manang district, obstructed the flow of the Marsyangdi River. Another landslide in Nisi, Ward 3 of Thasang Rural Municipality in Mustang, partially blocked the Kali Gandaki River.The authority urged people living downstream to remain extremely cautious because of the risk of sudden water releases if the blockages give way.Landslides at several locations have also hampered search and rescue operations, while conditions continued to deteriorate because of the persistent rain.
Thousands moved to safety
The severe weather has directly affected 247 families across Nepal. NDRRMA said 260 homes were completely destroyed and another 80 suffered partial damage.Emergency teams have moved around 3,000 people from high-risk areas to safer locations. Armed Police Force personnel and local authorities have been involved in rescue and relief operations, including providing food and other essentials to displaced families.In the worst-hit mountain districts of Jajarkot, Myagdi and Sankhuwasabha, helicopters were used to evacuate people who were trapped.NDRRMA Spokesperson Shanti Basnet said district administration offices in all 77 districts, along with all three national security agencies, remained on high alert as authorities continued collecting data and carrying out recovery work.
More than 100 locations record over 100 mm rain
The downpour was triggered by a low-pressure system originating in the Bay of Bengal, NDRRMA said.Its monitoring stations recorded more than 100 mm of rainfall at 106 locations during the four-day period.Dumkuali in Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East) recorded the highest rainfall at 455.2 mm. Pokhara in Kaski received 407.2 mm, while Anbu Khaireni in Tanahun recorded 373.2 mm.As the storms intensified, NDRRMA’s Central Monsoon Response Command Centre directed local authorities to stop vehicle movement on vulnerable road sections. Schools were also closed in affected districts.The agency sent more than 5,000 direct SMS alerts to field responders. The Flood Forecasting Division sent more than 814,000 early-warning messages to people living in downstream flood-risk areas.
Tourists warned to avoid vulnerable areas
The bad weather has also raised concerns for thousands of foreign tourists and trekkers in Nepal.NDRRMA estimated that around 9,000 foreign tourists and trekkers were in the country during the period of heavy rain. In coordination with the Nepal Tourism Board and local trekking agencies, the authority issued safety advisories in English.Tourists in vulnerable terrain were urged to take shelter and suspend travel until conditions improved.Two bodies recovered after Himlung Himal avalancheNepal is also dealing with a separate disaster in the high-altitude Manang district.Two bodies were recovered after an avalanche at the base camp of Himlung Himal, according to NDRRMA and Nepal Police.The mountain region had experienced heavy snowfall for several days, forcing climbers to retreat from autumn expeditions. Others remained missing after Sunday’s avalanche.At 7,126 metres, Himlung Himal is one of Nepal’s high-altitude climbing destinations. Helicopter flights to the area require an additional permit, making rescue operations more difficult.
Fresh disaster follows deadly Bhotekoshi floods
The latest floods and landslides come about a month after the devastating Bhotekoshi floods, which have so far claimed more than 1,400 lives and left over 6,000 people missing, according to the information provided by authorities.The August 26 disaster began in riverside settlements in Rasuwa district before rapidly affecting neighbouring Nuwakot and Dhading.The floods caused extensive infrastructure damage. Eight operating hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 281 MW and four projects under construction with a combined capacity of 388 MW were damaged.Major sections of the Galchhi-Betrawati-Rasuwagadhi road and the Prithvi Highway were also destroyed or badly damaged. The disaster affected 48 suspension bridges and 31 motorable bridges.
Nepal PM flags Himalayan climate risks at UN
Earlier, Nepal Prime Minister Balen Shah used his UN General Assembly address to highlight the growing risks facing the Himalayan region.He thanked India and China for their “prompt and generous assistance” following the August disaster.Shah said warming was destabilising the fragile Himalayan ecology by thawing permafrost and weakening mountain slopes. He said this was increasing the risks of ice-rock avalanches, floods, landslides and other cascading hazards.
