At least 60 people died in landslides and flooding in the eastern region of Nepal over the past 24 hours. It is reported on Sunday morning that the casualties include five in Suryodya Municipality, three in Mangsebung Municipality, six in Ilam Municipality, three in Deumai Municipality, and one in Fakfokthum Village Council.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has offered help to Nepal over his social media post stating, “India remains committed to providing any assistance… The loss of lives and damage caused by heavy rain 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.”
The spokeswoman for Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, Shanti Mahato, said in a statement to international media that at least 43 people have been killed while five remain missing in the disaster-hit area. Security forces, including the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police, are assisting evacuation processes, particularly in flood-prone areas of the Kathmandu Valley, as river water is constantly rising due to heavy rainfall.
Evacuation Operation
Operations for evacuation began on Saturday morning along the main river as teams conducted door-to-door searches, helped residents evacuate, and assisted in moving belongings to safer places.
The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology reported a constant rise in water levels in rivers, including Bagmati, Hanumante, Manohara, Dhobikhola, Nakkhu, Balkhu, and Bishnumati.
Currently, several districts are at higher risk of flooding and landslides, including Sunsari, Udaypur, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, and Sarlahi.
Nepal has received above-average monsoon this year, and the shift in rainfall pattern was unexpected. The monsoon usually lasts from June to September, but this year renewed downpours have occurred even during the withdrawal period. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) estimates that nearly 2,000,000 people across more than 457,000 households are on the verge of being affected by monsoon-related disasters this year in Nepal.