Last Updated:
Heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides in Nepal, resulting in casualties and stranding hundreds of passengers as key roads leading to Kathmandu were blocked.
Members of Nepal Army help people retrieve their belongings to a safe area at a flooded street in Nepal. (Reuters)
At least 39 people have been killed in Nepal as heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides, blocking several bridges and washing away bridges in the last 36 hours, according to officials.
Separate landslides in Nepal’s Ilam district claimed the lives of 18 people, while three people were killed in the southern region due to lightning strikes and one person died in floods in Udayapur district, Reuters reported, citing police spokesperson Binod Ghimire.
Recommended Stories
Most fatalities (36) were reported in the Koshi province, according to The Kathmandu Post, while 11 people remain missing across the country. Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said eight major rivers are flowing above the danger mark.
Highways Blocked, Washed Away
Furthermore, major highways linking the Kathmandu Valley with the rest of the country have been blocked by floods and landslides, stranding hundreds of passengers. Police confirmed that all entry points into the Nepal capital remained closed as of Sunday morning.
The police administration has urged citizens not to travel to areas prone to landslides unless necessary, to use safe and alternative routes, and to follow the instructions of the local administration, according to The Himalayan Times.
“Domestic flights are largely disrupted but international flights are operating normally,” Rinji Sherpa, a spokesperson for Kathmandu airport, told Reuters.
Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, district governor of Sunsari district, said all 56 sluice gates of the Koshi Barrage had been opened to drain out water, compared with about 10 to 12 during a normal situation.
Several houses and roads have been inundated by overflowing rivers in Kathmandu. Weather officials say rains are likely to lash the Himalayan nation until Monday, and authorities say they are taking “maximum care and precautions” to help people affected by the disaster.
Hundreds of people lose their lives each year in landslides and flash floods, which are frequent during the monsoon season in Nepal’s predominantly mountainous regions. The monsoon typically begins in mid-June and lasts until mid-September.
Over 200 people were killed in Nepal last year as deadly floods and landslides left a trail of destruction across the Himalayan nation. Entire neighbourhoods in Kathmandu were inundated after the heaviest rains in more than two decades, with the capital temporarily cut off from the rest of Nepal after landslides blocked highways.
About the Author
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international…Read More
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master’s in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in international… Read More
Kathmandu, Nepal
October 05, 2025, 13:27 IST
Loading comments…
Read More
