At least 40 dead as landslides and floods hit Nepal following heavy rain
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Kathmandu: At least 40 people have been killed across eastern Nepal and five others remain missing due to landslides and floods caused by heavy rainfall since Saturday night, officials said on Sunday.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) reported that 37 of the fatalities occurred in Ilam district in Koshi province following landslides. The breakdown includes eight deaths each in Deumai and Maijogmai municipalities, six each in Ilam municipality and Sandakpur rural municipality, five in Suryodaya municipality, three in Mangsebung, and one in Fakfokthum village.
Outside Ilam, one person died in Panchthar due to a landslide, and one each in Khotang and Udayapur districts were swept away by floods. Additionally, four people have gone missing in Rasuwa district due to flooding, and a person buried in a landslide in Panchthar is also missing.
Rescue operations are ongoing with the involvement of the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force. Helicopters evacuated four people, including a pregnant woman, from Ilam district, who were admitted to a hospital in Dharan municipality.
In a separate incident, three people were killed by lightning in Rautahat district on Sunday morning, while seven others were injured in lightning-related incidents across various parts of Nepal. Police reported three injuries in Bhojpur, three in Khotang, and one in Makawanpur.
The monsoon remains active in five of Nepal’s seven provinces: Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki, and Lumbini. Due to incessant rainfall and potential landslides, authorities restricted entry and exit of vehicles from Kathmandu starting Saturday for the next three days and advised against operating long-route vehicles unless in emergencies. A red alert has been issued for areas around the Bagmati and East Rapti rivers.
Continuous downpour has been reported in Kathmandu and other regions since Friday night, prompting the suspension of domestic flights from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Hansa Raj Pande, general manager at TIA, said flights from Kathmandu, Bharatpur, Janakpur, Bhadrapur, Pokhara, and Tumlingtar have been halted until further notice.
The authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as rescue and relief operations proceed across the affected areas.
With PTI inputs