Landslides, Floods, Lightning Strikes Claim 14 Lives In Nepal

The landslides, floods, and lightening strikes in Nepal have claimed at least 14 lives in the last 24 hours.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRMA) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, eight people have died due to landslides, five from lightning strikes, and one due to flooding.

Photo Credit: ANI Video screengrab

Over the past 17 days, 28 people have been killed as a result of the monsoon climatic effects, affecting 22 districts and causing 147 incidents.

"We recorded a total of 44 incidents on June 26, 2024. In those incidents 14 people have lost their lives, 8 were due to landslide, 5 due to lightning and 1 in flooding. 2 people are still unaccounted for in the incident of landslide while 10 people have sustained injuries," Dijan Bhattarai, Spokesperson at the NDRMA told news agency ANI.

Nepal's monsoon season, which lasts from mid-June to mid-September, brings heavy rainfall leading to frequent floods and landslides, especially in the mountainous regions. Unplanned urbanisation on slopes exacerbates the vulnerability during this period.

The government estimates that 1.8 million people could be affected by rain-related incidents this season. Landslides, particularly in the hilly areas, pose significant risks to life, property, infrastructure, and the environment.

South Asian meteorologists predict that La Nina conditions, characterised by cold ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, are likely to develop during the second half of the southwest monsoon season.

La Nina is typically associated with normal to above-normal rainfall in South Asia, which could further intensify the monsoon's impact in Nepal.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has indicated a 60% chance of La Nina conditions occurring between July and September, increasing to 70% between August and November.

These conditions could lead to more severe floods and droughts in the region.

(With agency inputs)