Nepal Hit by Fatal Landslides and Flash Floods: Roads Blocked, Rivers Rising, and Rescue Efforts Underway

Torrential Rainfall Turns Deadly

In Nepal, days of relentless rain have unleashed a wave of destruction across the country. Entire hillsides have collapsed, roads have disappeared under mud and debris, and swollen rivers are tearing through villages. At least 47 people have lost their lives, and the toll is expected to rise as rescuers search through layers of earth and rubble.

In the eastern district of Ilam, near the border with India, 35 people were killed in separate landslides, said Armed Police Force spokesperson Kalidas Dhauboji. “Rescue efforts for the missing persons are going on," confirmed Shanti Mahat from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

Heavy rains have not let up since Friday. Nine people remain missing after being swept away by floods, and three others died in lightning strikes elsewhere in the country.

Government Declares National Emergency

The government has declared two national public holidays, shutting down schools and offices except for emergency and rescue teams. Authorities say the decision was made to allow full attention on the crisis as rainfall continues to hammer eastern and central Nepal.

Government spokesperson Rameshwar Dangal said the move came after forecasts warned of even heavier rain. Meteorological officials have placed more than a dozen districts on red alert, urging residents near rivers and unstable hillsides to leave immediately.

Large parts of Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, and Madhesh provinces, including some areas of the capital Kathmandu, remain under threat of further flooding and landslides.

Roads Blocked, Flights Grounded

Across the country, the landscape is fractured. The main highways leading into Kathmandu are blocked in multiple places. The Araniko Highway, which links the capital to China, has collapsed in several sections, while the BP Highway, connecting eastern Nepal, is buried under mud and rock.

Air travel has also been hit. “Domestic flights are largely disrupted, but international flights are operating normally," said Rinji Sherpa, spokesperson for Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport.

Koshi River Rising, Gates Fully Opened

Further east, the situation is growing dire along the Koshi River, one of Nepal’s largest. The water level has surged to more than twice its normal height, threatening communities downstream.

“All 56 sluice gates at the Koshi Barrage have been opened," said local official Dharmendra Kumar Mishra — a rare and dangerous move, as typically only a dozen gates are used. Authorities are now weighing whether to restrict heavy traffic on the barrage bridge to prevent further damage.

The Koshi, which flows into India’s Bihar state, is infamous for its devastating floods during the monsoon season.

Festival Homecomings Interrupted by Disaster

The timing of the disaster could not be worse. The floods struck just as millions of people were returning home from Dashain, Nepal’s most important religious festival. Highways that were crowded with returning travelers are now buried under landslides, leaving families stranded and rescue teams scrambling.

Aviation officials say flights to several remote areas have been cancelled because of poor visibility. Helicopters are being deployed where possible, but persistent rain and low clouds are slowing efforts.

Neighboring India Also Hit

The same system has spilled into neighboring India. In Darjeeling, West Bengal, at least seven people have been killed by landslides following days of heavy rain. “Seven bodies have already been recovered from the debris. Work is being done to recover two more," said Abhishek Roy, a local police official.

A Familiar Tragedy

Every monsoon season brings destruction to Nepal’s fragile mountains, but this year’s storms arrived late and struck hard. Flash floods and landslides kill hundreds every year, wiping out villages and testing the country’s limited infrastructure.

Now, as rain continues to fall and rivers rise, rescuers are racing against time - and against the weather - to reach those still missing.