Kathmandu, September 29 (Daily Kiran) : Severe weather in Nepal has led to tragic consequences over a recent four-day period. From September 24 to 28, continuous rainfall triggered floods, landslides, and lightning strikes, resulting in at least 27 deaths and injuries to seven others, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat revealed that four individuals remain missing, while 1,065 families have been affected by 513 incidents related to the monsoon. The disasters have caused extensive damage, with 225 homes completely destroyed and 137 partially damaged. Additionally, 27 cattle sheds were affected, along with 114 livestock.
In response to the crisis, the government has intensified its rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts. Agencies have been mobilized to repair damaged infrastructure and restore normalcy. Flooding and landslides have impacted highways and main roads at 147 locations across the country. Officials report that 125 of these sites have been repaired and reopened.
Traffic disruptions have also been noted along the Kaligandaki Corridor due to landslides and damage to access roads in parts of western Nepal, including the districts of Beni-Jomsom, Palpa, Baglung, and Nawalparasi. Authorities estimate that full restoration of the road could take more than three days.
The floods have also affected electricity supply. A total of 1,013.2 megawatts of power supply through the national transmission system has been disrupted in the Kaligandaki, Marsyangdi, and Seti-Madi river corridors.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the recent flooding follows a devastating event on August 26, which resulted in over 1,400 fatalities and left nearly 5,000 people missing due to damage to several hydropower projects along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors.
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) announced plans to import over 1,100 megawatts of electricity from India during the upcoming winter season. This is in anticipation of a nearly 70 percent drop in domestic electricity production, as run-of-the-river hydropower projects yield less power in winter months.
NEA Managing Director Dhirgayu Kumar Shrestha stated that domestic electricity production is expected to be around 1,218 megawatts, while demand could reach 2,293 megawatts. To manage the electricity supply during the dry season, the NEA is planning to import 1,155 megawatts from India.
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