At least 66 people have died in Nepal due to severe floods and landslides triggered by late monsoon rains, authorities said. An additional 69 people are missing, and 60 others have been injured in the past 24 hours, the Ministry of Home Affairs reported late Saturday.
Search and rescue operations are underway despite adverse weather conditions, with participation from various agencies, the ministry added in a statement.
According to Kumar Neupane, spokesperson for the Armed Police Force, which is among the agencies involved in search and rescue operations, the country’s central region, including the capital Kathmandu, was the worst affected by the disasters, with numerous incidents of flash floods, landslides, and inundation. He added that efforts are ongoing to search, rescue, and relocate those impacted by the disaster, as well as to clear blocked highways and restore damaged infrastructure. “We are still in the process of assessing the full extent of the damage caused by the floods and landslides,” said Neupane.
So far, emergency teams have managed to rescue and relocate 1,053 people in three districts of the Kathmandu Valley, most of whom were living in settlements along riverbanks or in hilly areas vulnerable to flash floods and landslides. Officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs warned that the full extent of the damage remains unclear as several remote areas have yet to report on the situation.
The heavy rainfall has wreaked havoc on the country’s infrastructure, severely damaging roads, bridges, and buildings. Domestic flights have been grounded since Friday due to low visibility and dangerous conditions, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. Authorities have also halted vehicular movement on key highways during the night as a precaution against landslides.
In Kathmandu, rising river levels have flooded thousands of homes, leaving entire neighborhoods submerged. Major roads leading into the capital remain blocked by debris from landslides. On social media, videos have circulated showing the devastation, including homes and vehicles being swept away by floodwaters, while some residents have made desperate pleas for assistance.
With more rain forecasted for the coming days, authorities have issued flood warnings for communities living near major rivers, particularly the Koshi and Gandak rivers, which have surpassed danger levels.
In response to the worsening crisis, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak held an emergency meeting with key officials from the country’s security and disaster management agencies on Saturday. The meeting focused on ramping up search, rescue, and rehabilitation operations in the affected areas. Speaking to the media following an emergency meeting on Saturday, Lekhak also expressed regret over the deaths of some individuals in Nakkhu Lalitpur due to delays rescue. The individuals, some of whom died later, had waited hours for help before being swept away by floodwaters.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, currently visiting the United States, expressed his concern about the disaster on social media. Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Oli wrote: “I’m heading to Harvard Kennedy School soon, but my heart is heavy with the news of heavy rains causing floods and landslides in Nepal. Please stay safe, everyone in affected areas. All relevant government authorities should remain on high alert for necessary actions.”
Nepal’s mountainous terrain and complex river networks make the country highly susceptible to natural disasters. Earlier, a total of 210 people had lost their lives in various natural disasters, including floods and landslides, since June 10, according to the Nepal Police.
