At least 51 people have been killed across eastern Nepal till Sunday morning in various incidents triggered by landslides and floods following heavy downpours since last night, an official of the Armed Police Force (APF) said.
As many as 37 of the deaths occurred in Ilam district, Koshi province, where landslides triggered by continuous heavy rainfall have wreaked havoc over the past two days, said Kalidas Dhaubaji, APF spokesperson.
Of the 37, eight people each were killed in Deumai and Maijogmai municipalities, six each in Ilam municipality and Sandakpur rural municipality, five in Suryodaya, three in Mangsebung, and one in Fakfokthum village, according to a press release by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
Elsewhere, two people died in Udayapur and one in Panchathar due to floods and landslides. Separately, three people were killed in a lightning strike in Rautahat and two in Khotang district.
Meanwhile, six people died in Panchthar district in an accident caused by roads damaged by the heavy rainfall.
Four people went missing after being swept away by the swollen river in Langtang Conservation Area of Rasuwa district, and one each went missing in incidents of floods in Ilam, Bara, and Kathmandu.
Additionally, four of the 16 people on a trekking expedition in the Langtang area remain unaccounted for, Dhaubaji said.
Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and APF personnel have been involved in rescue operations. Security forces rescued four people, including a pregnant woman, from Ilam district using helicopters and admitted them to a hospital in Dharan municipality.
The monsoon is currently active in five of Nepal’s seven provinces: Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki, and Lumbini.
Offering help to the neighbouring country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a social media post, “The loss of lives and damage caused by heavy rains in Nepal is distressing. We stand with the people and Government of Nepal in this difficult time. As a friendly neighbour and first responder, India remains committed to providing any assistance that may be required.”
Meanwhile, the Nepal government has allowed some vehicles to travel to and from Kathmandu as weather conditions improved.
On Sunday, Kathmandu Valley received less rainfall compared with the past two days, and road blockages caused by landslides have been cleared on some national highways.
“As per the decision of the Monsoon Counter Command Post, vehicles operating for emergency services and vehicles transporting goods as well as passenger vehicles and short-distance vehicles halted in the middle of the national highways will be allowed to move towards their destinations keeping in view the conditions of the roads in coordination with the local authorities,” read a statement from the NDRRMA.
However, the statement added that vehicle movement will continue to be restricted at night on risky roads and highways until further notice.
On Saturday, authorities had restricted entry and exit of vehicles from Kathmandu due to continuous rainfall and landslide risks, issuing a red alert for areas around the Bagmati and East Rapti rivers.
Domestic flights from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) have also been suspended due to bad weather.
Hansa Raj Pande, general manager at TIA, Kathmandu, said flights from Kathmandu, Bharatpur, Janakpur, Bhadrapur, Pokhara, and Tumlingtar would remain halted until further notice.