At least 21 people have died and five remain missing after days of relentless rain triggered floods, landslides, inundation and lightning across Nepal, with the latest spell of extreme weather damaging homes, bridges, roads and other infrastructure across several provinces. Rescue and evacuation operations continued on Sunday as rivers swelled beyond danger levels and authorities moved families from vulnerable settlements to safer areas.
The latest government assessment covered hundreds of monsoon-related incidents reported across the country since September 22, with casualties recorded in districts including Myagdi, Dolpa, Dhanusha, Palpa, Baglung, Lamjung, Rukum West, Kavre, Dhading, Makwanpur and Surkhet. The toll continued to evolve through Sunday as rescue teams reached areas cut off by landslides and flooding, while authorities warned that the danger had not passed.
Western Nepal hit hard
Western and south-central Nepal were among the worst affected areas, with Baglung, Palpa and Myagdi reporting multiple deaths. In Gandaki province alone, floods and landslides displaced hundreds of families and damaged houses, bridges, government buildings and livestock sheds.
Baglung recorded some of the heaviest casualties, while five people were reported killed in landslides in Palpa. In Myagdi, people remained missing after landslides struck settlements, while the swollen Kaligandaki River damaged infrastructure and disrupted connectivity.
At least 1,451 people from 419 households had been displaced across areas covered in one of the latest provincial assessments. Floods and landslides had completely damaged 179 houses and partially damaged another 26, while about 270 more houses were considered at risk.
Security agencies continued search operations for those reported missing, while injured people were being treated at local hospitals. Nepal Police said more than 1,200 people affected by floods, landslides and inundation had already been rescued as personnel worked with local authorities to move vulnerable families to safer locations.
Rivers breach danger levels
Several major rivers and streams rose sharply following persistent rainfall. The Narayani River and Riu stream in Chitwan crossed danger levels, prompting authorities to issue alerts and move residents from threatened settlements.
In Rupandehi, the swollen Tinau River swept away six houses along its banks in Butwal, while around 200 houses remained at risk. About 1,000 people were evacuated overnight from vulnerable areas after the Tinau and nearby streams rose rapidly.
Floodwaters also entered settlements in Nawalparasi East, where security personnel evacuated residents threatened by the rising Narayani. Similar precautionary evacuations were carried out around Devghat and Bharatpur as authorities monitored water levels.
In Saptari, flooding inundated around 500 houses and affected about 2,000 families in Tilathi Koiladi and Hanumannagar Kankalini areas. Rescue teams were deployed as continuing rainfall increased concerns over further inundation.
Highways and bridges damaged
The severe weather has also disrupted road connectivity across Nepal. Landslides blocked stretches of the Prithvi Highway, Narayangadh-Muglin road and Siddhartha Highway, while roads across mountainous districts were damaged or washed away.
The swollen Kaligandaki River damaged a motorable bridge on the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road, disrupting road access towards Mustang. The Besisahar-Chame road in Lamjung was also blocked after around 200 metres of the road was washed away.
Landslides rendered stretches of the Karnali Corridor and Karnali Highway impassable, while several smaller bridges were either swept away or damaged. Authorities deployed teams to clear debris and reopen roads, though continued rainfall complicated restoration work.
Preliminary assessments from affected areas also showed damage to government offices, vehicles, cattle sheds and other infrastructure. Livestock deaths were reported from several districts, adding to the losses faced by rural households.
Fresh disaster compounds crisis
The latest floods and landslides have struck Nepal while the country is still recovering from the catastrophic Bhote Koshi floods of August. Nepal Police said on Sunday that 1,453 bodies had been recovered from that earlier disaster, while searches were continuing for thousands of people still listed as missing.
The fresh rainfall has compounded difficulties for families displaced by the August floods, many of whom remain in temporary shelters. Continuing rain has raised concerns about vulnerable slopes, swollen waterways and already weakened infrastructure across affected districts.
Nepal’s authorities had stepped up preparedness ahead of the latest spell after meteorological officials warned that weather systems developing over the Bay of Bengal could produce prolonged heavy to very heavy rainfall between September 24 and 28. Rescue personnel, security forces and local administrations were subsequently placed on alert in vulnerable districts.
More rain remains a threat
Prime Minister Balendra Shah said the government was coordinating rescue, relief and treatment for those affected by the latest disasters. Search operations for missing people remained underway, while authorities were collecting information from remote areas where communication and road links had been disrupted.
With several rivers still running high and slopes saturated after days of rain, officials warned that additional landslides and flash floods remained possible. Authorities have urged people living near riverbanks, unstable hillsides and other high-risk areas to remain alert and follow evacuation instructions as rescue and relief operations continue.