At least 100 lives have been lost and many more are unaccounted for as severe flooding and landslides have swept through Nepal in recent days. In response to the crisis, schools and colleges nationwide have been closed for three days.
Rising Death Toll
According to media reports, police have cautioned that the number of fatalities may continue to rise as updates come in from rural areas across the nation. As weather conditions improved on Sunday morning, rescue operations were intensified.
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Rescue teams recovered 14 bodies overnight from two buses that were buried in a landslide while en route to Kathmandu on a highway near the capital. At least one other bus, along with additional vehicles, remained trapped under debris, with teams working tirelessly to search through rocks and mud for survivors.
Transportation Disrupted
Kathmandu has been effectively isolated, with main highways leading out of the city obstructed by landslides. Three major routes, including the crucial Prithvi Highway that connects Kathmandu to other parts of the country, have been blocked, according to reports.
So far, 37 deaths have been confirmed in Kathmandu alone. Local police and military personnel are actively participating in rescue operations, employing heavy machinery to clear blocked roads.
Cause of the Catastrophe
The torrential rains began on Friday and persisted into Saturday night, with forecasts suggesting that the downpour could continue through the weekend. The government had previously issued flood warnings, anticipating significant rainfall across the Himalayan region. In response, nighttime bus travel on highways was prohibited, and citizens were advised against driving.
Meteorological officials attribute the severe rainfall to a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal affecting parts of neighboring India near Nepal.
Urban Planning Challenges
Experts from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) have noted that inadequate urban planning exacerbates the risks associated with climate change in Nepal. “I’ve never before seen flooding on this scale in Kathmandu,” stated Arun Bhakta Shrestha, an environmental risk official at ICIMOD. The organization has called for urgent investments in infrastructure, including underground stormwater and sewage systems.
The disastrous impact of the rains has been worsened by poor drainage, unplanned urban settlements, construction on floodplains, insufficient water retention areas, and encroachment on the Bagmati River, which has led to significant flooding throughout the region.
(INCLUDES INTUTS FROM OLINE SOURCES)
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