DEATH TOLL RISES TO 126 AS NEPAL GRAPPLES WITH DEADLY FLOODS AND LANDSLIDES

Sun 29 September 2024:

Recovery operations are underway across Nepal as the death toll from severe flooding and landslides has climbed to 126, with another 63 individuals still unaccounted for, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).

Police officials warned on Sunday that the number of casualties could rise further as reports continue to come in from remote regions across the mountainous nation.

Overnight, rescue workers discovered 14 bodies from two buses that had been engulfed by a landslide near the capital, Kathmandu. More than 3,000 security personnel, including rescue teams using helicopters and motorboats, were deployed to various affected areas, including Kathmandu, which suffered heavy casualties of at least 34 deaths.

Rishi Ram Tiwari, spokesperson for the Home Ministry, reported that over 3,000 individuals had been rescued as efforts continue to clear roads obstructed by debris. Key highways have been rendered impassable, isolating Kathmandu from the rest of the nation.

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Annual Monsoon Turns Deadly Amidst Rising Floods and Landslides

Nepal experiences deadly monsoon rains from June to September each year, but the frequency of fatal floods and landslides has surged in recent years, likely due to climate change.

“Authorities are working closely with locals and other agencies to rescue those trapped and search for the missing,” said Basanta Adhikari, NDRRMA spokesperson.

One truck driver, Hari Malla, described how he woke in the middle of the night to find floodwaters nearly at shoulder height. “My entire truck is submerged,” he recounted.

Since Friday evening, all domestic flights from Kathmandu have been grounded, affecting more than 150 departures, though international flights remain operational, confirmed Rinji Sherpa, a spokesperson for the airport.

Landslides have blocked highways at 28 locations, further complicating transportation, police spokesperson Dan Bahadur Karki reported.

Rains Set to Continue as Rivers Swell Beyond Danger Levels

Weather forecasts indicate that heavy rains will persist until Sunday morning, as a low-pressure system over neighboring India prolongs the deluge. Binu Maharjan, a weather official in Kathmandu, said conditions are expected to improve afterward.

Meanwhile, in the southeast, the Koshi River has swelled to dangerous levels, heightening concerns in both Nepal and the neighboring Indian state of Bihar, where the river causes annual flooding.

This year’s monsoon season has already claimed over 170 lives due to rain-related incidents. Experts attribute the escalating severity of rainfall and subsequent disasters to the growing impact of climate change on the region.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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