Nepal rain kills 27 as Manang avalanche leaves 22 missing

Heavy rain and landslides have killed 27 people across Nepal, while an avalanche in Manang left 22 missing. The twin disasters have widened damage to homes, bridges and rivers, keeping vulnerable communities on alert.

In Short

• Heavy rain killed 27 people across Nepal between September 24 and 28
• Monsoon disasters affected 1,082 families and destroyed 227 houses nationwide
• Authorities recorded 304 landslides, 87 floods and 151 rainfall incidents

At least 27 people have been killed in incidents triggered by heavy rainfall across Nepal over the past few days, officials said on Monday. Four people are missing and eight have been injured in monsoon-related incidents between September 24 and 28, according to the Nepal Home Ministry.

The rain-related disasters affected 1,082 families, killed 114 livestock, destroyed 227 houses and partially damaged 142 others. Floods and landslides also damaged 31 bridges, while heavy rainfall in different parts of the country during this period was linked to a low-pressure system that developed in the Bay of Bengal, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said.

Authorities said 304 landslide incidents were reported during the period, leaving 20 people dead, four missing and seven injured. There were also 87 flood-related incidents in which four people died, and 151 incidents linked to heavy rainfall that claimed three lives and injured one person.

On Sunday, a massive landslide hit Nepal's Manang district, sending debris into the Marsyangdi River and briefly blocking parts of it. Authorities asked people living downstream to remain alert and take precautions. Parts of the river stayed blocked for a few hours before returning to normal without causing major damage.

Landslides also blocked other rivers in Palpa, Manang and Mustang districts in northern and western Nepal on Sunday, though the impact was not major as the blocked rivers cleared after a few hours. An avalanche also struck the base camp of the 7,126-metre Himlung Himal peak in the Nar Phu area of Manang district on Sunday, burying tents where support staff and mountain guides were taking shelter and leaving 22 people missing, all of them Nepalese. Four bodies were recovered from the avalanche site on Monday.

Nepal is also still dealing with the aftermath of last month's flash floods that originated near the Nepal-Tibet border. The Bhotekoshi River carried floodwaters downstream, sweeping away homes, vehicles, roads and bridges and damaging hydropower projects. The August 26 flash floods killed at least 1,453 people and left more than 5,000 missing. Overall, officials said the latest spell of heavy rain has led to deaths, injuries, missing persons and widespread damage across the country.

With PTI Inputs

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