Landslides in Nepal Claim 11 Lives as Heavy Rainfall Strikes

Landslides triggered by intense rainfall in Nepal’s eastern mountains resulted in at least 11 fatalities on Sunday, with one individual still unaccounted for. The disasters struck two villages, where a landslide collapsed a home, killing six members of the same family while they slept. In a separate incident, five people lost their lives in a neighboring village, according to Illam District’s assistant administrative officer, Bholanath Guragai.

Efforts to assist those affected are currently underway, but ongoing rainfall is complicating rescue operations. Many roads in the area have been either washed away or blocked by debris from the landslides. In light of the situation, Guragai stated that helicopters from the central government are urgently needed for medical evacuations.

Nepal’s government issued a severe rainfall warning for the eastern and central regions of the country over the weekend, effective from Saturday to Monday. Major highways connecting the capital, Kathmandu, with other regions were closed due to safety concerns, while all domestic flights were suspended on Saturday because of poor visibility and heavy rain. Flights resumed on Sunday as conditions improved.

The closure of major transport routes coincided with the return of hundreds of thousands of people to Kathmandu following the celebration of Dashain, the nation’s largest festival. The main day of the two-week festival, which typically sees families traveling to their home villages, was on Thursday. On Sunday, highways were congested with vehicles as the government assessed the impacts of the weather.

In Kathmandu, some areas near the river experienced flooding, although no significant damage or casualties were reported from the capital. In response to the severe weather conditions, the government declared a national holiday until Monday.

This recent bout of rainfall and landslides follows a tragic pattern; last year, similar incidents during this time of year resulted in the deaths of 224 individuals and left 158 others injured. The current rainfall marks the end of Nepal’s monsoon season, which typically spans from June to mid-September.

According to Binaj Gurubacharya of The Associated Press, the situation remains dire as officials continue to monitor the weather and coordinate rescue efforts. The community’s resilience will be tested in the days to come as recovery efforts unfold and the full impact of this disaster becomes clearer.