Heavy rains over the weekend in Nepal have led to devastating flooding and landslides, claiming the lives of 209 people, with 29 individuals still missing. The majority of the fatalities occurred in Kathmandu, where significant portions of the city were submerged. A tragic landslide near a blocked highway, just 16 kilometers from the capital, buried several vehicles, resulting in the deaths of around 36 people who were sleeping in the area.
As landslides obstructed all highways out of Kathmandu, emergency workers were able to temporarily clear the Prithvi Highway. The Nepalese government has announced the establishment of temporary shelters for those displaced by the floods, as well as financial assistance for the families of the deceased and injured. Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, upon returning from the UN General Assembly, convened an emergency meeting to address the ongoing crisis.
Rescue and recovery operations have picked up pace as weather conditions improved, allowing residents in southern Kathmandu to begin cleaning their flooded homes as water levels receded. Schools and colleges across the nation will remain closed for three days to facilitate recovery efforts.
Nepal’s weather bureau reported unprecedented rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to Saturday morning, with a monitoring station at Kathmandu airport recording approximately 240 millimeters of rain—the highest amount since 2002. Climate expert Arun Bhakta Shrestha from ICIMOD noted that rainfall typically decreases by late September as the monsoon season ends, describing the current situation as an “abnormal” and “extreme event” likely influenced by climate change.
