- 148 killed in Nepal floods, landslides
- Thousands rescued; many remain stranded
- Climate change worsens monsoon-driven disasters
Severe floods and landslides have claimed at least 148 lives in Nepal, with more than 100 others injured, according to police reports. The disasters follow two days of torrential rainfall that overwhelmed the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas, leaving over 50 people still missing as of Sunday. Rescue teams have saved approximately 3,600 people.
Residents described leaping “from one roof to another” to escape rising floodwaters that have inundated thousands of homes. Rescue operations, using helicopters and inflatable rafts, are still underway, despite predictions of continued rain through Tuesday. Some flood victims were able to return to their homes on Sunday, but many remain stranded due to blocked roads between towns and villages.
Flash floods and landslides have caused significant casualties across the region. Authorities confirmed that at least 35 bodies were recovered from vehicles trapped under a landslide on the Prithvi Highway, near Kathmandu. Most major highways connecting the capital with the rest of the country remain blocked by debris.
In Bhaktapur, east of Kathmandu, five people, including a pregnant woman and a four-year-old girl, were killed when their house collapsed under a landslide, as reported by state media. Additionally, two bodies were pulled from a bus buried by a landslide in Dhading, west of the capital, with 12 passengers, including the driver, onboard.
Tragedy struck at a football training center run by the All Nepal Football Association in Makwanpur, where six players were killed by a landslide. Other victims were swept away by floodwaters, including four people washed downstream by the Nakkhu River in the southern Kathmandu Valley. Eyewitnesses described the scene as desperate, with victims pleading for help for hours.
One flood survivor, Hari Om Malla, shared how he lost his truck when floodwaters engulfed his vehicle in Kathmandu. “We jumped out, swam, and escaped, but I lost everything,” he told, adding that he spent the night shivering in the cold.
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Another resident, Bishnu Maya Shretha, recounted the severity of this season’s flooding. “We had to cut through the roof and jump across to safety,” she explained, noting the flooding had worsened compared to previous years.
Government spokesperson Prithvi Subba Gurung reported that the flooding had disrupted essential services, breaking water pipes, and affecting phone and power lines. State media confirmed that 10,000 police officers, volunteers, and army personnel have been deployed for rescue missions.
In response, the Nepalese government urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel and imposed a nighttime driving ban in the Kathmandu Valley. Air travel was also disrupted on Friday and Saturday, with numerous domestic flights delayed or canceled.
While Nepal experiences monsoon-related floods and landslides annually, scientists warn that climate change is intensifying these events. Warmer atmospheric temperatures enable the air to hold more moisture, while rising ocean temperatures are fueling more erratic and powerful storm systems.
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