Strong monsoon-style rains have wreaked havoc across eastern and southern Nepal since Friday, triggering deadly landslides, flash floods, and flooding that have claimed dozens of lives and left many missing.

Death Toll, Missing, and Damage

Officials say at least 47 people are confirmed dead, with nine more reported missing.

• In Ilam district, along the border with India, landslides swept away entire settlements, accounting for 35 fatalities.
• Elsewhere, three lives were lost to lightning strikes, and three others died in flood-related incidents in southern districts.

Rescue and Relief Operations Underway

Rescue teams continue working, though conditions are hampering efforts. Many roads have been washed out or obstructed by debris, limiting ground access to remote, hit areas.
Helicopters and military units are being deployed for medical evacuation and to relocate people in danger zones.

Authorities have issued extreme rainfall warnings for both eastern and central Nepal, and ordered closure of major highways.
Domestic flights were suspended over the weekend due to poor visibility and weather conditions, though some have resumed operations.

Wider Context & Risks

Floodwaters in the Koshi River have surged past safe thresholds, forcing the opening of all sluice gates at the Koshi Barrage, and road traffic across the barrage has been banned.
In Kathmandu, rivers overflowing into city streets have isolated some neighbourhoods, rendering key routes impassable.

This disaster arrives later than Nepal’s typical monsoon timeline, a pattern observers link to shifting climate variability.