Death Toll Climbs To 112 In Nepal As Landslides And Floods Wreak Havoc

The recent deluge in Nepal, triggered by relentless rains since Friday, has led to a catastrophic scenario with the death toll soaring to 112 as of Sunday. These calamities have wreaked havoc across eastern and central regions of the country, causing not only widespread flooding but also triggering deadly landslides. The Armed Police Force and Nepal Police have been at the forefront, compiling data on the casualties and the scale of destruction these natural disasters have brought.

The situation has escalated with 64 individuals reported missing amidst the chaos of floods, landslides, and inundations. Additionally, the calamities have left 45 people with injuries. The Kathmandu Valley, in particular, has borne a significant brunt of this tragedy, accounting for 48 fatalities. This area, alongside others, has seen nearly 195 houses and eight bridges succumb to the damage. In response, security forces have been mobilized, successfully rescuing approximately 3,100 individuals from perilous conditions.

The Bagmati, Kathmandu's main river, surged beyond its danger mark following the heavy downpour that battered much of the eastern and central parts of Nepal over the weekend. This unprecedented rise in water levels has been attributed to a combination of a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal and an unusually northward shift of the monsoon trough, as highlighted in a report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) released on Saturday.

Residents and experts alike have expressed their shock at the severity of this year's flooding. Arun Bhakta Shrestha, a Climate and Environmental expert with ICIMOD, remarked, "I've never before seen flooding on this scale in Kathmandu." This sentiment was echoed by locals who recalled not witnessing such devastating flooding and inundation in the Kathmandu Valley over the past four to five decades.

The widespread devastation has not only led to loss of lives and property but also severely disrupted daily life. Numerous highways and roads have been rendered impassable, with hundreds of houses and bridges either buried under mudslides or swept away by floods. This has resulted in the displacement of hundreds of families and stranded thousands of travelers at various locations across the country. The ongoing crises underline the urgent need for effective disaster management and preparedness to mitigate the impacts of such natural calamities in the future.