KATHMANDU — The relentless rainfall that began early Friday in Nepal has resulted in the tragic loss of at least 66 lives, as reported by officials on Saturday. The continuous downpour has led to severe flooding and landslides, causing major disruptions to road travel and domestic flights.
According to home ministry official Dil Kumar Tamang, the death toll may continue to rise. As of now, 69 people are reported missing and 60 have been injured since the onset of the rains on Friday morning.
The Kathmandu valley, home to the capital city and a population of 4 million, has been hit the hardest. The flooding has brought the city to a standstill, halting traffic and everyday activities.
Rescue teams have been employing helicopters and rubber boats to aid those stranded on rooftops or high ground. Some areas of Kathmandu have reported receiving as much as 12.68 inches of rain in the past day.
Authorities have reported that most rivers in the Himalayan nation are overflowing, causing damage to roads and bridges. This is due to the delayed retreat of South Asia’s annual monsoon rains, which have brought heavy downpours across the region.
Police spokesperson Dan Bahadur Karki stated that police are working tirelessly to clear debris and reopen roads after landslides blocked highways in 28 locations.
Binu Maharjan, a weather forecasting official in Kathmandu, has predicted that the rains may not let up until Sunday. She attributes this year’s extended rains to a low-pressure system over parts of neighboring India.
“The heavy rains are expected to persist until Sunday morning, after which the weather should start to clear,” Maharjan told Reuters.
She added that most central and eastern areas have experienced moderate to extremely heavy rainfall, ranging from 2 inches to over 8 inches, with moderate levels recorded elsewhere.
Rinji Sherpa, a spokesperson for Kathmandu airport, reported that while international flights are operating, many domestic flights have been disrupted due to the weather conditions.
Officials have reported that the Koshi River in the southeast, which annually causes deadly floods in India’s eastern neighboring state of Bihar, is currently running above the danger level at 450,000 cusecs, compared to the normal figure of 150,000 cusecs. A cusec is a unit of measurement for water flow, equivalent to one cubic foot per second.
Ram Chandra Tiwari, the area’s top bureaucrat, added that the river level is still rising.
Every year, the monsoon season in the mountainous nation results in hundreds of deaths due to landslides and flash floods. Since the start of the annual monsoon rains in mid-June, authorities have reported at least 254 deaths and 65 missing persons due to landslides, floods, and lightning strikes.
Disagree flooding is terrible but these numbers are just devastating
Disagree flooding brings immense tragedy and loss, my thoughts are with those affected.
Disagree, the loss of life is truly heartbreaking.
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