Landslides and Floods Kill 22 as Heavy Rains Wreak Havoc in Nepal

KATHMANDU: At least 22 people have been killed and several others reported missing as relentless monsoon rains triggered landslides and flash floods across Nepal over the past 36 hours, officials said on Sunday.

Police spokesperson Binod Ghimire said that 18 people died in separate landslides in Ilam district, near the Indian border. Three others were killed in lightning strikes in southern Nepal, while one person died in flooding in Udayapur district in the east.

Authorities said at least 11 people were swept away by floodwaters and remain missing since Saturday. “Rescue efforts for them are going on,” said Shanti Mahat, spokesperson for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).

The downpours have caused widespread destruction, washing away bridges and blocking major highways, leaving hundreds of travellers stranded.

Domestic flights have been largely suspended, though international services continue to operate normally, according to Kathmandu airport spokesperson Rinji Sherpa.

In southeastern Nepal, the Koshi River — notorious for causing deadly floods in India’s Bihar state — was flowing above danger levels. Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, governor of Sunsari district, said water discharge had surged to more than double the normal rate.

“All 56 sluice gates of the Koshi Barrage have been opened to drain out water, compared to just 10 to 12 in normal conditions,” he said, adding that authorities were preparing to ban heavy vehicles from crossing the bridge.

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In the Kathmandu Valley, rivers have burst their banks, flooding roads and inundating homes, effectively cutting off the hill-surrounded capital from the rest of the country by road.

Landslides and flash floods are common in Nepal’s mountainous regions during the monsoon season, which runs from mid-June to mid-September and claims hundreds of lives annually.

Weather officials warned that rains are likely to persist until Monday, while authorities said they were taking “maximum care and precautions” to assist affected communities.