Nepal Monsoon Floods Claim 192 Lives Amidst Rescue Efforts

Search and rescue teams in Kathmandu, Nepal, are working tirelessly after devastating monsoon floods and landslides have claimed the lives of at least 192 people. The floods, triggered by the heaviest rains in over 20 years, have inundated large parts of the capital, cutting it off from the rest of the country. Landslides have blocked highways, further complicating rescue efforts. The Home Ministry’s spokesperson, Rishi Ram Tiwari, confirmed the number of deaths, with 31 more reported missing. Among the casualties, at least 35 people were buried alive when a massive landslide hit vehicles on a highway south of the capital.

Rescue operations continue in earnest, with teams wading through knee-high mud and using shovels to clear debris in riverside areas. Many of these areas, including unauthorized slum settlements along the Bagmati River, were hardest hit. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development has pointed out that unplanned urban expansion along the river worsened the disaster’s impact.

Nepal’s army has rescued over 4,000 people, deploying helicopters, motorboats, and rafts to save those stranded by the floods. Bulldozers are working to clear over 20 sections of key highways that have been blocked by debris, aiming to restore access to the capital.

The disruption of road networks has severely affected the supply of fresh produce into Kathmandu. According to Binay Shrestha, a local market worker, farmers have fresh crops ready for transport, but blocked highways have left much of it stranded.

Preliminary data from weather stations in 14 districts confirmed record-breaking rainfall, with the Kathmandu airport recording about 240 millimeters (9.4 inches) in just 24 hours—the highest since 2002. While monsoon rains from July to September are crucial for agriculture across South Asia, they also bring deadly floods and landslides. Experts warn that the frequency and intensity of such disasters are worsening due to climate change. This year alone, more than 300 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents across Nepal.

As rescue and recovery efforts continue, the country grapples with the immediate aftermath of one of the deadliest flood seasons in recent memory.