Floods and Landslides in Nepal Claim Over 148 Lives Amidst Rescue Efforts
Massive floods and landslides triggered by intense rainfall have devastated Nepal, leaving at least 148 people dead and over 100 injured, according to local police. The natural disaster has wreaked havoc across the Himalayan nation, with more than 50 people still reported missing as of Sunday.
The floods, which began after two days of torrential rain, have inundated the valley surrounding the capital, Kathmandu. Around 3,600 individuals have been rescued, but many continue to be trapped in areas cut off by landslides and floodwaters. Rescue operations are ongoing, utilizing helicopters and inflatable rafts to reach stranded residents.
Survivors have described terrifying moments as they scrambled for safety. Some reportedly jumped from roof to roof to escape the rapidly rising waters that have flooded thousands of homes. While the rains are expected to persist until Tuesday, there was a brief respite on Sunday, allowing some residents to return to their mud-caked homes. However, major roads between towns and villages remain blocked due to landslides, complicating rescue efforts.
One of the most tragic incidents occurred on the Prithvi Highway, where police recovered 35 bodies from vehicles buried under a massive landslide near Kathmandu. In Bhaktapur, to the east of the capital, five people, including a pregnant woman and a four-year-old child, lost their lives when a landslide crushed their home.
In another incident, two bodies were pulled from a bus in Dhading, west of Kathmandu, after it was buried in a landslide. Twelve people, including the driver, were aboard the vehicle. Among the victims of the disaster are six football players, who were killed by a landslide at a training center in Makwanpur, southwest of the capital.
Rescue efforts have been described as harrowing, with witnesses recalling scenes of people being swept away by the floodwaters. Jitendra Bhandari, an eyewitness, reported seeing four individuals washed away by the Nakkhu River in the southern Kathmandu valley, helpless as onlookers tried in vain to assist.
Authorities have mobilized 10,000 police officers, alongside volunteers and army personnel, to carry out search and rescue missions. The Nepalese government has advised people to avoid unnecessary travel and imposed a nighttime driving ban in the Kathmandu valley. Air travel has also been disrupted, with numerous domestic flights delayed or canceled.
Nepal, which faces annual floods and landslides during the monsoon season, is seeing increasingly severe rainfall events. Scientists link this trend to climate change, noting that warmer atmospheres can hold more moisture, intensifying storm systems and making weather patterns more unpredictable.
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