Nepal’s Mountains Give Way as Relentless Rain Triggers New Wave of Floods and Landslides

Nepal is once again confronting the destructive force of water and earth as relentless monsoon rain sweeps across the country, sending rivers over their banks, tearing into roads and triggering landslides in vulnerable mountain communities.

At least 21 people have died in floods, landslides and other rain-related disasters since September 24, while five remain missing and five others have been injured, according to Nepal’s disaster authorities. Nearly 2,000 people have been evacuated from high-risk areas and moved to safer locations.

The rainfall has been extraordinary. More than 100 millimetres of rain was recorded at 186 monitoring stations between September 24 and 27. Deda Gaun in Nawalparasi East recorded 544.2 millimetres, while rainfall in Panchase, Kaski, exceeded 500 millimetres.

The disaster has also begun to fracture the infrastructure that connects Nepal’s communities. Floods and landslides have blocked major highways, while authorities say the BP Highway could need another two days before it is fully operational.

Electricity networks have suffered major damage. Landslides along the Kaligandaki corridor damaged transmission pylons and forced 12 hydropower plants with a combined capacity of more than 358 megawatts offline. Including precautionary shutdowns elsewhere, more than 790 megawatts of generation capacity has been affected.

Communications have also been disrupted in parts of the country, adding another layer of uncertainty for families trying to reach relatives in affected communities.

Authorities have warned of possible flash floods across 49 of Nepal’s 77 districts as river levels remain dangerously high. Prime Minister Balendra Shah has urged people living near rivers and in hilly areas to avoid unnecessary travel and remain alert.

For Nepal, this latest disaster arrives only weeks after a devastating flash-flood catastrophe in the north. Now, once again, roads have become lifelines, electricity has become uncertain and families are waiting for the rain to ease.

In a country shaped by some of the world’s most dramatic mountains and rivers, the landscape can change in hours. For those caught in its path, the immediate hope is simple: that the water falls, the hills hold and the roads home reopen.