Nepal Flood And Landslide Claim 66 Lives, Several Missing

Heavy rainfall has led to severe floods and landslides in Nepal, resulting in at least 66 fatalities and over 100 injured, according to media reports. Since Thursday, the country has been inundated with rain, prompting disaster authorities to issue flash flood alerts. The adverse weather has also blocked major roads and disrupted domestic flights.

Authorities are concerned that the death toll could rise, as 69 individuals remain missing, stated Dil Kumar Tamang from the home ministry. Over 1,000 people have been rescued so far. In response to the crisis, Acting Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh held an emergency meeting with ministers and security heads to expedite search and rescue operations.

Impact on Infrastructure

Bishwo Adhikari of Nepal Police reported that key highways have been obstructed at 44 locations due to the severe weather. Rescue teams have used helicopters and rubber boats to assist those stranded on rooftops or elevated areas. Some parts of Kathmandu received up to 322.2 mm (12.68 inches) of rain within a day.

International flights continue as planned; however, many domestic flights face disruptions, according to Rinji Sherpa from Kathmandu airport. The heavy rains have caused most rivers in Nepal to overflow, flooding roads and bridges after a delayed monsoon retreat in South Asia.

Power Outages and River Levels

Kathmandu experienced a power outage when the main transmission line was affected by floods but was restored by evening. Police noted that 226 homes were submerged in Kathmandu, with around 3,000 security personnel deployed for rescue operations.

The Koshi River in southeast Nepal is flowing at 450,000 cusecs, significantly above its danger level of 150,000 cusecs. This river often causes deadly floods in Bihar, India. Authorities continue monitoring river levels closely as they manage ongoing rescue efforts.