More than 140 dead – Nepalese suffocate under historic floods

The devastating rains in the Himalayan country started late on Thursday. The government announced free treatment for the injured and aid packages for affected families and ordered schools in the affected regions to be closed for three days, an Education Ministry spokesperson said.

School buildings and universities were damaged by two days of heavy rain. About half of the deaths occurred in the capital Kathmandu and surrounding districts. The region is severely affected by floods and landslides.

Historical heavy rainfall in Nepal
Local media reported the worst rainfall in Kathmandu in decades. The rain mainly affected central and eastern regions across the country.

Several buses were swept away by landslides in the area surrounding the capital. The bodies of at least 35 people were recovered from the vehicles, authorities said.

“The search for the missing is still ongoing as the affected families are brought to safety. “It could take a few more days,” said police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki. He said about 100 people were injured. More than 3,600 people have been brought to safety, police said.

Huge damage from floods
Authorities reported that heavy monsoon rain severely damaged roads and bridges and temporarily paralyzed domestic air traffic. Many access roads to the capital Kathmandu are reportedly blocked by landslides. In some areas, people were temporarily without electricity and internet access. Schools will remain closed nationwide at the beginning of this week, the Ministry of Education announced.

Although the weather has improved, authorities initially expect further rainfall in parts of the country. Nepal is often exposed to natural disasters due to its mountainous location and large rivers.