Rain is expected to subside after 5 p.m. today and is expected to end by midnight, says expert
Kathmandu, September 28
According to officials, 65 highways have been obstructed, and the risk of landslides has increased in 42 districts due to rain, while 49 people have died as a result of floods and landslides across the country, 21 of whom died in the Kathmandu valley alone, and 728 have been rescued.
Flood has claimed nine human casualties in Kathmandu, nine in Lalitpur and three in Bhaktapur, according to Nepal police. 728 people were rescued after flooding and landslides. The flood destroyed four houses in Kathmandu and inundated 236 others. Water has gotten into many homes in Lalitpur and Bhaktapur.
Binod Ghimire, spokesperson for the Valley Police Office, stated that 3,060 personnel in Kathmandu, 930 in Lalitpur, and 120 in Bhaktapur have been deployed to assist with disaster rescue and relief efforts. Meanwhile, based on the risk of disaster, 40 more people have been mobilised in Kathmandu, 25 in Lalitpur, and 15 in Bhaktapur, he said.
Similarly, Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson Rishi Ram Tiwari said that floods and landslides have resulted in human losses in districts such as Kavre, Sindhupalchok, and Lalitpur.
According to the police, main roads and highways have been blocked in 28 locations across the country. Almost all highways are clogged.
Flooding, landslides, and inundation have displaced approximately 400 people, who have been relocated to safer areas, according to officials.
Tiwari, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Home Affairs, stated that people living on the river's banks have been asked to stay in safe places and avoid staying on the ground floor of houses where flooding is a risk.
"Until the weather improves, we request that people stay at home except for essential work," Tiwari said.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, rain has had an impact on life in the majority of the Bagmati and Koshi regions. The Bagmati River level has risen in Kathmandu and Lalitpur, reaching the banks of roads and human settlements, according to police.
Home spokesperson Tiwari stated that people living on the banks of rivers such as the Bagmati, Bishnumati, and Dhobikhola were asked to relocate to safer areas, which they did with the assistance of security agencies.
According to Ujjwal Upadhyay, a Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Expert, monsoon clouds are currently affecting the entire country.
"Reports of significant damage to life and property are coming in, which is extremely tragic. Today, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will be heavy rain in the country's central and western regions. There is a high risk of severe flooding in major rivers like the Gandaki, Rapti, Bagmati, and Koshi, as well as landslides in hilly areas," he said.
"Rain will begin to subside after 5 p.m. today and is expected to end by midnight. Tomorrow, Sunday, the weather will significantly improve, with most parts of the country seeing clear skies and sunshine by 9-10 a.m."
He also requested people to remain safe today and avoid all travel; do not make the mistake of going out. "You will be able to continue working on any type of activity beginning tomorrow," he added.
