At least 66 people have died, and 69 others are missing after heavy rainfall in Nepal triggered devastating floods and landslides, officials have confirmed.
The torrential downpour, which has predominantly impacted the valley surrounding the capital, Kathmandu, is expected to continue through Tuesday, potentially increasing the death toll further.
Thousands of homes near rivers have been submerged, and most highways across the affected areas have been blocked. Dramatic footage has surfaced showing people stranded on rooftops, awaiting rescue. The intense rainfall, which exceeded 200mm (7.9 inches) since Friday evening, caused almost all rivers in the Kathmandu valley to overflow, leading to widespread devastation.
Landslides have contributed to many of the fatalities. In Bhaktapur, east of Kathmandu, five people, including a pregnant woman and a four-year-old girl, died when their house collapsed due to a landslide, state media reported. Meanwhile, two bodies were recovered from a bus that had been buried by a landslide in Dhading, west of the capital. Twelve people, including the driver, were said to be on board at the time of the incident.
In another tragic event, six football players lost their lives after a landslide struck a training centre operated by the All Nepal Football Association in Makwanpur, south-west of Kathmandu. Others have been swept away by fast-moving floodwaters, including four people washed away by the Nakkhu River in the southern part of Kathmandu valley.
Despite desperate pleas for help, eyewitness Jitendra Bhandari told the BBC, “We could do nothing.” Three of the individuals were rescued downstream, while one remains missing.
Among those affected is truck driver Hari Om Malla, who recounted his terrifying ordeal in Kathmandu. He described how floodwaters gushed into his vehicle’s cabin during the torrential rain on Friday night. “We jumped out, swam, and got away from it – but my purse, bag and mobile have been swept away by the river. I have nothing now. We stayed the whole night in the cold,” Malla told the BBC.
More than 2,000 people have been rescued from the floodwaters, according to state-run Radio Nepal, with at least 200 homes reportedly damaged. The Nepalese home affairs ministry confirmed that as of Saturday, 60 people had sustained injuries. Video footage shared on social media showed private houses, offices, shopping centres, hospitals, and police posts inundated with water.
Government spokesperson Prithvi Subba Gurung, speaking to Nepal Television Corporation, revealed that the flooding had also damaged waterpipes and disrupted telephone and power lines across the affected regions. In response, 10,000 police officers, as well as army personnel and volunteers, have been mobilised to assist with search and rescue operations.
As the crisis unfolds, the Nepalese government has urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel. Night-time road travel in the Kathmandu valley has been banned to reduce the risk of accidents, while most highways connecting the capital with the rest of the country remain blocked. Air travel has also been disrupted, with numerous domestic flights either delayed or cancelled on Friday and Saturday.
The ongoing heavy rains pose a continued threat, with authorities warning that the situation may worsen in the coming days.
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