Monsoon floods and landslides kill 101 people in Nepal
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According to the government’s Disaster Risk Reduction Portal, this year alone, 136 Nepalis have died during the monsoon, with 45 still missing
The death toll from the unprecedented rainfall continues to rise; this has triggered flash floods and landslides killing as many as 101 people across Nepal.
Heavy rainfall started in the area on Monday and has since continued. Due to this, many properties have been damaged, leaving many as 2,232 houses inundated.
"As many as 101 people have lost their lives and 30 people are missing. Continuous search and rescue operation is being carried out," Phanindra Rijal Pokharel, spokesperson of Ministry of Home Affairs told WION.
The year’s rice harvest has been especially been hit badly as those were left out to dry and were ruined by the rains. Elsewhere, paddy fields were submerged in rainwater or entire harvests washed away by flooding, affecting the farmers mainly.
Flash floods and landslides are common in Nepal during the monsoon season, which normally lasts from mid-June through September every year. The monsoon largely dies out towards the end of September.
This year alone, Nepal has suffered numerous extreme weather events — raging wildfires in decades, leading to hazardous levels of air pollution. unprecedented flooding in Melamchi during the monsoon season.
Such events are only likely to increase further as the effects of climate change compound.
According to the government’s Disaster Risk Reduction Portal, this year alone, 136 Nepalis have died during the monsoon, with 45 still missing.
The government has deployed Nepal Army and Police to carry out the search and rescue operation.
Along with his team, Nepal's Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba also visited all flood affected and landslide affected areas in Nepal to take stock of the situation.
With Prime Minister Deuba scheduled to lead a delegation to the United Nations’ Climate Change Conference (COP26), beginning from October 31, Nepal plans to utilise the platform to strike a bargain with developed countries and to lobby for more assistance in combating the effects of climate change.