Nepal Floods and Landslides Kill 47, Thousands Affected Amid Heavy Rain

At least 47 people have died in Nepal as heavy rain triggered landslides, flash floods, and lightning strikes, officials said on Sunday. Several more are reported missing, while highways have been blocked and bridges washed away, stranding hundreds of passengers and cutting off the temple-studded capital, Kathmandu, from the rest of the country by road.

In Ilam district in eastern Nepal, which borders India, 35 people were killed in separate landslides, according to Kalidas Dhauboji, spokesperson for the Armed Police Force. Additionally, three people died due to lightning, and nine remain missing after being swept away by floodwaters. Rescue efforts are ongoing, said Shanti Mahat, spokesperson for Nepal’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

The impact of the rains is not limited to Nepal. Across the border in Darjeeling, West Bengal, at least seven people have died due to landslides, with two more missing, local police confirmed. Authorities are actively working to recover the victims from debris.

Several major highways in Nepal remain blocked, delaying travel and transport. Kathmandu airport operations are partially affected, with domestic flights disrupted while international flights continue normally, Rinji Sherpa, a spokesperson, confirmed.

The Koshi River, known for annual deadly floods in Bihar, India, is flowing above the danger level. In Sunsari district, all 56 sluice gates of the Koshi Barrage were opened—compared with the usual 10–12—to drain excess water. Vehicular traffic on the barrage has been temporarily banned for safety.

Rivers around Kathmandu have flooded roads and homes, exacerbating the disaster in the hill-ringed capital. Monsoon rains, which typically run from mid-June to mid-September, have extended into October this year, claiming hundreds of lives annually in Nepal due to landslides and flash floods.

Weather officials have warned that heavy rain is likely to continue until Monday, and authorities are taking “maximum care and precautions” to assist those affected by the floods and landslides.