Residents Begin Returning to Flood-Hit Areas in Nepal After Deadly Monsoon Rains

 

Residents in Nepal's capital, Kathmandu, have started to return to their homes on Sunday to assess the damage caused by severe flooding after heavy monsoon rains. The flooding has resulted in at least 104 deaths across the country.

During the monsoon season, floods and landslides are common in South Asia. However, experts warn that climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of these natural disasters. This weekend, flash floods submerged entire neighborhoods in Kathmandu, causing significant destruction to major highways.

Kumar Tamang, a 40-year-old resident living near the riverbank, described his frightening experience: “We had to flee at midnight as water rushed into our home. Today, everything looks different, with mud blocking our doors,” he told AFP.

The Nepalese home ministry reported that 104 people have died nationwide, with an additional 64 still missing. Rishi Ram Tiwari, a spokesman for the ministry, stated that efforts to clear blocked highways due to landslides are ongoing. “More than 3,000 people have been rescued,” he added.

One of the most tragic incidents occurred when a landslide buried two buses in the Dhading district, south of Kathmandu, resulting in the deaths of 14 people.

The capital experienced 240 millimeters (9.4 inches) of rainfall in just 24 hours, the heaviest in over 50 years, according to the country’s weather bureau. As rivers, like the Bagmati, overflowed, residents had to wade through chest-deep water to reach higher ground.

Emergency teams, including over 3,000 security personnel, have been deployed with helicopters, motorboats, and rafts to assist in rescue efforts. By Sunday morning, domestic flights had resumed after adverse weather conditions caused more than 150 cancellations.

The summer monsoon accounts for 70-80% of South Asia’s annual rainfall and regularly leads to loss of life and property in the region. However, scientists emphasize that the rise in extreme weather events is linked to climate change, with over 260 people in Nepal already losing their lives to rain-related disasters this year alone.