At least 18 dead in rain-triggered disaster in Eastern Nepal

KATHMANDU: At least 18 people have lost thier lives in flooding and landslide incidents in Ilam of Eastern Nepal over the last 24 hours, police said on Sunday morning.

According to the Koshi Province Police Office’s Spokesperson SSP Deepak Pokhrel, at least 5 people were dead in landslide in Suryodaya Municipality, 3 in Mangsebung Municipality, 6 in Ilam Municipality till this morning.

Likewise, three people are dead in Deumai Municipality whereas another one in Fakfokthum village council.

“The death toll might go high as we are accessing the damage. We only have the preliminary details of the damages and losses as of now,” SSP Pokhrel told over phone.

As of now, all three tiers of security agencies- Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and the Nepal Police has been deployed on site.

They have been deployed to evacuate residents from floodplains within Kathmandu valley as rivers continue to swell following heavy downpours and warnings of further rainfall.

Security agencies launched search and evacuation operations on Saturday morning in settlements along the major rivers flowing through the valley. Personnel conducted door-to-door searches, helped residents move out, and assisted in relocating belongings to safer places.

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology reported rising water levels in the Bagmati, Hanumante, Manohara, Dhobi Khola, Bishnumati, Nakkhu, and Balkhu rivers. Authorities warned that flooding could reach roadside areas and enter settlements. Residents and motorists were urged to avoid travelling along riverbanks due to the risk of inundation.

Forecasts indicate a very high risk of flooding and landslides in several districts, including Sunsari, Udaypur, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Sindhuli, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Sindhupalchok, Kavrepalanchok, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Makwanpur, and Chitwan.

Nepal had earlier braced for an above-average monsoon this year, but the rainfall pattern has shifted. The monsoon season usually runs from June to the end of September, but reactivation has triggered downpours even during the withdrawal phase.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has predicted that around two million (1,997,731) people from 457,145 households could be affected by monsoon-related disasters this year. (ANI)