Nepal: Landslides triggered by heavy rainfall claim 14 lives in 24 hours

Nepal has been struck by devastating landslides, flash floods, and lightning in the last 24 hours, resulting in the tragic loss of at least 14 lives.

According to reports from news agency ANI, eight fatalities were attributed to landslides, while five people succumbed to lightning strikes. Additionally, one person lost their life in floodwaters caused by torrential rainfall.

In Lamjung district, located approximately 125 kilometers west of Kathmandu, landslides overnight swept away three houses, claiming four lives, including two children, as confirmed by district administrator Buddha Bahadur Gurung.

Dijan Bhattarai, spokesperson for Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRMA), reported a total of 44 incidents on June 26 alone. These incidents resulted in 14 fatalities, with landslides accounting for eight deaths, lightning strikes for five, and one casualty due to flooding. Two individuals remain missing following a landslide, while ten others sustained injuries.

Since the onset of the monsoon season, Nepal's Home Ministry has recorded a total of 27 deaths across the country, with an additional 13 fatalities attributed to lightning strikes during this period. Monsoon-related incidents have affected 33 districts, totaling 147 rain-related incidents within 17 days.

The monsoon season, which spans from mid-June to mid-September, typically brings severe flooding and landslides to Nepal's mountainous regions annually, claiming numerous lives and causing extensive damage to infrastructure and communities.

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