Floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall claim seven lives across the country, six missing

KATHMANDU, July 6:Continuous rains have wreaked havoc across the country, with rainfall persisting in all districts since Friday evening. Floods, landslides, and inundations caused by the rains have resulted in widespread loss of life and property. 

According to the Nepal Police, seven people have died in the last 24 hours, six people are missing, and dozens are injured. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bishwa Adhikari, deputy spokesperson for the Nepal Police, confirmed three deaths in Syangja, two in Parbat, one in Dang, and one in Kathmandu. Among the missing, two are from Dang, three from Tanahun, and one from Dolakha. The police warned that these numbers might increase. 

Incidents of flooding and inundation have been reported in most of the settlements across the country, including the Kathmandu Valley, causing substantial financial losses. According to the police, 40 to 50 highways are blocked nationwide. 

In Syangja Rural Municipality-6, Lamakhet, three senior citizens—67-year-old Harimaya Sharma, 71-year-old Madhav Sharma, and 65-year-old Guhyeshwari Sharma from Birua-6 Majkot—died when a landslide buried them. They had been relocated to the house of Ishwari Lamsal in Lamakhet due to the danger at their Majkot home. Unfortunately, a sudden landslide occurred at the place they mistakenly believed to be safe. Five others were injured in the incident.

In Timurbot of Falebas Municipality-1, two people died when a landslide swept away the house of Kul Bahadur Upadhyay. The victims have been identified as 40-year-old Jhalak Prasad Sharma Paudel of Falebas-1 and 33-year-old Tulsi Prasad Sharma of Andhikhola Rural Municipality-3 Ghordhunga. Their bodies were found during a search operation. Additionally, two buffaloes, one cow, and four goats went missing in the landslide.

In Nagarjun Municipality-3 of Kathmandu, Manoj BK, 22, of Lakhan Thapa Rural Municipality-6, Gorkha, died after being buried by a landslide while working in a restaurant. 

BK, who had been working as a helper in a Single Tree restaurant in the area died after the landslide buried the restaurant on Saturday. He breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Manmohan Memorial Hospital in Swoyambhu.

In Dang, Cheduram Chaudhary was killed when his tractor was swept away by a flood in the Gangadi River at Rajpur Rural Municipality-5 Salbhaudi. His body was found crushed by the tractor after the flood receded.

In Kaure, Shuklagandaki Municipality-7 of Tanahun, three people—40-year-old Hira Nepali, 37-year-old Anisha Bastola, and 65-year-old Shyam Bhandari—were killed in a landslide while moving their belongings due to landslide fears.

In Dang, two people, 62-year-old Maniyam Chaudhary of Naya Basti in Lamhi Municipality-8 Bagrapur and 19-year-old Rajkumar Yadav of Rajpur Rural Municipality-2, went missing after being swept away by the Rapti River. They were crossing the river after selling milk when the flood occurred. Two others, 40-year-old Dayaram Yadav and 48-year-old Tularam Yadav, were rescued.

In Dolakha, 64-year-old Jangmu Sherpa, manager of a hotel on the Rolwaling foot trail, went missing due to a flood in Dodang of Gaurishankar Rural Municipality-9. The flood also swept away three houses.

Floods and landslides have blocked major highways across the country. According to the police, the Kanti Highway connecting the valley, Chitlang Makwanpur road, and Mugling-Kathmandu road section have been blocked by landslides. Other major highways, including the BP Highway, Pasang Lhamu Highway, Siddhartha Highway, Mid-Hill Highway, Koshi Highway, Siddicharan Highway, Syafrubesi-Thambuchet road section, Chakhel-Deurali road, Arniko Highway, Chame-Besishahar road, Beni-Darbang road, Beni-Jomsom road, and Besishahar-Manang road, are also blocked. In the western region, the Karnali Highway, Sanfebagar-Martadi road, Jayaprithvi Highway, Gokule-Darchula road, and Ghorahi-Tulsipur road are also blocked.

Heavy rains have increased the water levels in major rivers, causing inundation in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur. The corridor roads were blocked all day but started to return to normal after the rain receded in the evening. The water levels of the Saptakoshi and Narayani rivers have crossed the danger level, with Saptakoshi reaching its highest point this year.