Devastating Floods and Landslides Wreak Havoc Across Nepal

Rain-triggered floods and landslides in Nepal have claimed 102 lives since Friday. Eastern and central regions, including the Kathmandu Valley, are severely affected. Around 3,100 people have been rescued, with many highways and homes damaged. Climate change and unplanned construction exacerbate the disaster's impact.

The death toll from rain-triggered floods and landslides across Nepal climbed to 102 on Sunday, police confirmed.

Eastern and central Nepal have faced severe inundations since Friday, resulting in flash floods in various regions. The Armed Police Force reported that 64 people are missing, and 45 have sustained injuries due to the natural calamity.

Kathmandu Valley witnessed the highest number of fatalities, with 48 confirmed deaths.

At least 195 houses and eight bridges have suffered damage. Security personnel have successfully rescued nearly 3,100 individuals. Eyewitnesses recounted the unprecedented scale of the flooding, with some asserting it was the worst in 40-45 years. The Armed Police Force released a statement confirming the death toll has reached 102.

"I've never before seen flooding on this scale in Kathmandu," stated Arun Bhakta Shrestha, a Climate and Environmental expert at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).

Kathmandu's primary river, the Bagmati, surpassed danger levels following incessant rains in eastern and central Nepal, as detailed in an ICIMOD report published on Saturday.

The intense rainfall resulted from a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal and an unusually northern monsoon trough position, the report explained.

Scientists pinpoint that climate change is altering rainfall patterns across Asia, with unplanned construction exacerbating the flooding by reducing water retention and drainage areas. The floods and landslides have severely disrupted daily life, damaging highways and homes, displacing families, and stranding thousands of passengers.

(With inputs from agencies.)