KATHMANDU: Floods and landslides caused by heavy rains in Nepal have killed at least 59 people across the country, with rescue teams searching for 44 people still missing, police reported on Saturday.
“So far, there are 59 dead, 36 injured, and 44 missing,” said Nepal police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki to AFP.
Since Friday, parts of Nepal have experienced intense rainfall, prompting disaster authorities to issue warnings about potential flash floods in several rivers.
“Police are working alongside other agencies and local communities to rescue and locate the missing individuals,” stated Basanta Adhikari, spokesman for Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.
Rivers in the capital, Kathmandu, have overflowed, flooding homes and vehicles near the banks. “When I went outside in the middle of the night, the water was up to my shoulders,” recounted Hari Malla, a 49-year-old truck driver. “My whole truck is under water,” he added.
Over 3,000 security personnel have been deployed to aid in rescue operations, utilizing helicopters and motorboats. Landslides have blocked several highways, stranding hundreds of travelers. “We have around eight locations blocked due to landslides in different sections of the road,” reported Kathmandu traffic police officer Bishwaraj Khadka.
All domestic flights out of Kathmandu were canceled from Friday evening, affecting more than 150 departures.
Monsoon rains from June to September annually bring widespread devastation across South Asia, and the frequency of fatal floods and landslides has increased in recent years. Experts attribute this rise to climate change, which has exacerbated the intensity and occurrence of such disasters.
Apart from it, more than 170 people have died in Nepal in rain-related incidents this year.
