Heavy rainfall kills at least 40 in Nepal, triggering floods & landslides

The catastrophic impact of two days of incessant heavy rainfall across Nepal has dramatically escalated, with the death toll rising sharply to 40 as confirmed by the Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal. The Himalayan nation is grappling with widespread devastation caused by floods, landslides, and lightning strikes, which have also resulted in 13 injuries and left an additional 11 people missing. The majority of the casualties have been reported from the eastern part of the country, which remains under an intense weather threat.

The eastern district of Ilam has borne the heaviest brunt of the disaster, accounting for the vast majority of the fatalities. APF Joint Spokesperson Shailendra Thapa confirmed that floods and landslides in Ilam alone have claimed 28 lives and seriously injured two individuals. Deaths were reported across numerous municipalities and rural municipalities within the district, including Suryodaya, Ilam, Deumai, Phakphokthum, Mangsebung, Maijogmai, and Sandakpur.

Beyond Ilam, the disaster has spread its devastation to other regions. Two deaths were reported in Udayapur, three in Rautahat, four in Rasuwa, and one in Kathmandu, primarily due to the intense floods and landslides that have swept through the areas. Furthermore, eight people were injured by lightning strikes in separate incidents spanning the Khotang, Bhojpur, Rautahat, and Makawanpur districts. The total casualty count was compounded by a separate incident in Panchthar district, where a road accident claimed six lives and injured six others.

Following the continuous downpour since Friday night, the weather system has now shifted its focus to the eastern regions, which have been placed under a "red zone" alert dueing to the saturated conditions. This intense rainfall has had a critical impact on Nepal's river systems, leading to a dangerous surge in water levels.

In a major development to mitigate a potential flood crisis in downstream areas, all 56 gates of the Koshi Barrage, which borders India, have been opened. According to Sunsari’s Chief District Officer Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, all gates were opened after the water flow of the Saptakoshi River surged past the critical level of 335,360 cubic feet per second (cusecs). Authorities have activated a red warning light and placed red flags at the Koshi Barrage to indicate the high flood risk.