Kathamandu: Relentless heavy rainfall across Nepal has unleashed severe floods, devastating landslides, and a deadly avalanche, claiming at least 14 lives and leaving more than a dozen people missing. The continuous downpour, which began late last week, has triggered widespread destruction of houses and critical infrastructure across various municipalities.
A massive avalanche struck the base camp of the 7,126-metre Himlung Himal peak in the Nar Phu area of Manang district on Sunday. The disaster buried a tent housing mountaineers and support staff. Search and rescue operations led by the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA) are currently underway.
According to officials, four bodies have been recovered from the avalanche site so far. “Rescue teams have recovered the bodies of Birendra Gurung and Ghan Shyam Rai today, following the retrieval of climbing guides Chhebi Bhote and Pasang Bhote earlier,” the rescue team reported. Twelve people, including labourers and guides, remain unaccounted for.
Meanwhile, horrific landslides triggered by the heavy rains have claimed 10 lives in the Baglung district alone. Viral visuals on social media show entire sections of mountains collapsing into rivers within seconds, highlighting the immense scale of the disaster.
The Nepal Police confirmed that the fatalities occurred across the Tamankhola, Nisikhola, and Tarakhola rural municipalities between Thursday and Saturday. In a tragic incident at Kankekharia in Nisikhola, a landslide buried a house, killing four members of a single family, including a three-year-old child.
In addition to the Baglung casualties, four people were confirmed dead in landslides in the Myagdi district on Sunday morning. Bharat Kumar Pun, Chairperson of the Annapurna Village Council, told ANI, “In the Annapurna Village Council, the deaths of four people in landslides have been confirmed.”
Authorities issued a high alert for residents living along the Narayani River in central Nepal on Sunday morning, as water levels crossed the 9-metre danger mark and flooded nearby settlements. Key highways leading to Chitwan have been blocked, and multiple landslide debris is severely hindering ongoing search and rescue operations.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Authority (NDRRMA) is continuously monitoring the situation, warning that conditions might worsen if the extreme weather persists. Rescue teams are operating in brief 3 to 4-hour windows, battling hostile weather to locate the missing persons.