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In the past two days, 40 people died while 11 remain missing in disasters which largely include the monsoon-triggered incidents in various parts of the country. 

Similarly, 13 have been injured in the incidents related to flooding, landslides, lightning strikes and road accidents. 

 In Ilam alone, the death toll, so far highest, is 28 while two have been severely injured, the Armed Police said. 

Similarly, two deaths in food and landslides have been reported from Udaypur, three from Rautahat, four from Rasuwa and one in Kathmandu. 

Eight were injured from the lightning strikes in Khotang, Bhojpur, Rautahat and Makawanpur, 

In Pachthar, six died in a road accident and six others have been injured. 

Landslides, a lighting strike and flooding triggered by severe rainfall killed at least 22 people in Nepal and 12 others were reported missing on Sunday, officials said, Associated Press reported.

Several villages in Nepal’s eastern mountain district of Illam were swept away by landslides on Sunday, killing at least 18 people and leaving seven others missing, Nepal police spokesman Binod Ghimire said.

Six people in the same family were killed when a landslide crushed their home while they slept, Illam’s assistant administrative officer Bholanath Guragai said.

Rainfall was hampering efforts to reach the villages and many roads were swept away or blocked by the landslides. Guragai said helicopters from the central government were needed for medical evacuations, according to Associated Press.

Three other people in a separate district were killed as they were struck by lighting and one person died in flooding in southern Nepal.

At least 18 persons have died due to floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall in Ilam.

According to Deepak Pokharel, SSP and spokesperson at the Koshi Province Police Office, Biratnagar, five persons have died in Manebhangyang, Suryadaya Municipality-1, three in Patigaun, Mangsebung Rural Municipality-1, one in Dhare and two in Dhusune of Deumai Municipality-5.

Similarly, a person died in Ratamate, Phakphokathum Rural Municipality-4 and six in Ghosgaun, Ilam Municipality-5, police said.

SSP Pokharel said that Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Nepal Army personnel have been deployed in the flood and landslide affected areas.

The administration has been preparing to send relief materials to the affected areas.

Greetings from Kathmandu!

Torrential rainfall that began on Oct 3 has wreaked havoc across central Nepal and parts of the Madhes Province, triggering widespread landslides, floods, and infrastructural damage. With major highways blocked, the capital city of Kathmandu has been effectively cut off from the rest of the country. The Nepal government has imposed a ban on vehicular movement to and from Kathmandu, citing public safety concerns.

In response to the crisis, the government has declared public holidays for Sunday and Monday (Oct 5 and 6) to ease pressure on emergency services and reduce public mobility. Domestic flights have been grounded due to poor visibility, while many international flights have been diverted.

According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, the Tarai region has experienced severe downpours. Birgunj recorded 143 mm of rain in the past 12 hours, followed closely by Bara (140.4 mm), Gaur in Rautahat (129 mm), and Maheshpur in Rautahat (124 mm). The continuous rainfall is expected to persist at least until Oct 5.

Hundreds of people returning to Kathmandu after celebrating the Dashain festival are now stranded along highways, unable to move forward due to blocked roads. The government has directed Chief District Officers to arrange food and shelter for those stuck in transit. Residents living along the flood-prone banks of rivers in the Kathmandu Valley have been evacuated and moved to nearby schools, which have been converted into temporary shelters.

To support rescue operations, the Ministry of Home Affairs has instructed private helicopter companies to keep their aircraft on standby. Encouragingly, several private aviation firms have pledged to support rescue missions free of cost. Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal reiterated that the government's top priority is the protection of human lives.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki issued a video message to assure the public that the government has mobilized all available resources to manage the disaster. “Our agencies are fully prepared for rescue and relief operations despite adverse natural conditions,” she said. Karki emphasized the importance of a coordinated response and praised the readiness of both governmental and non-governmental actors.

Major political parties including the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center), and Rastriya Swatantra Party have instructed their party cadres to support rescue and relief efforts at the local level. The CPN-UML has postponed its Secretariat meeting scheduled for October 5 to prioritize disaster response. The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has directed its subordinate offices to ensure the continuity of communication services, fearing possible breakdowns due to damaged infrastructure.

In a separate tragic incident, six people died in a jeep accident in Kattike, Kummayak Rural Municipality-3, Pachthar district. The Bolero jeep (Me 1 Ja 3055) was en route to Dharan from Sawa of Mikkakhola Rural Municipality when it veered 300 meters off the road. All six passengers, including the driver, lost their lives. The injured have been transferred to Dharan for medical treatment, said Arun Pokharel, Chief District Officer of Pachthar.

This fresh wave of flooding comes at a time when Nepal is still reeling from the violent GenZ protests of Sept 8–9, which led to the deaths of 76 people and caused extensive damage to both public and private property. The protests—sparked by youth-led demands for government transparency, accountability, and employment reforms—left the nation deeply divided. While the government pledged reform, it is now facing renewed pressure as another national crisis unfolds. The Ministry of Finance has appealed for transparency in relief donations, urging contributors at home and abroad to deposit funds directly into its official account at Rastriya Banijya Bank under the Physical Infrastructure Reconstruction Fund. This move is intended to ensure proper utilization and accountability of financial contributions for both disaster and protest-related recovery.

Nepal’s economy, already under strain due to slow post-covid recovery, ongoing reconstruction efforts, and upcoming election expenditures, is now facing the additional burden of infrastructure repair and emergency relief. Highways damaged during last year’s monsoon have once again been severely impacted, underscoring the vulnerability of Nepal’s transportation and communication infrastructure to extreme weather events. As rescue operations continue and weather forecasts remain grim, the coming days will be critical in determining the extent of the damage and the effectiveness of Nepal’s disaster response systems. The government, political parties, civil society, and private sector are being put to the test—not just in terms of immediate action, but in preparing long-term solutions for a country increasingly vulnerable to climate-induced disasters.

Kamal Dev Bhattarai

Editor