The monsoon has moved over the country and within 24 hours, in various parts of Nepal, many people have died in landslides, floods and lightning.
According to National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRMA) under Nepal’s ministry of home affairs, there were eight landslide related deaths, five by lightning and one from flooding.
There were totally 44 incidents on June 26, 2024. In those incidences, a total of 14 people have lost their lives; landslide eight people; lightning five people; flooding one person. Two individuals are still missing following the incident of landslide while ten others sustained injuries said Dijan Bhattarai spokesperson at NDRMA speaking to ANI over phone.
Yesterday’s tragedy occurred in Lamjung where five lives were claimed while Kaski and Okhaldhunga each had two victims due to landslides while flooding took away one life according to the home ministry statement.
Since the onset of monsoon climatic effect in the Himalayan nation which started on June 10 (till June 26, 2024), altogether 147 incidents have been recorded leading to loss of lives amounting to around twenty eight. According to the record from the home ministry fourteen fatalities are resulting from landslides then thirteen caused by lightning during that period of time.
Unplanned urbanization as well as settlement in slopes prone to landslides makes Nepal have high death rate due to landslides and floods occurring during every rainy season on annual basis.
The first day of monsoon is usually June 13th lasting till September 23rd every year in this mountainous country. On June 13th last year it commenced which was one day after expected start date.
Nepal is looking forward for formal arrival of monsoon season by 13th July that will continue for about three months. Local government has also forecasted that up to 1.8 million people would be affected by rain related incidents during this time.
Based on a statement made by the 28th Session of the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum released on April 29 above-normal rainfall is most likely to occur over many parts of south Asia during its monsoon season. But some areas over northern, eastern and northeastern parts of the region may experience below normal rainfall.
In Nepal landslides are caused due to heavy rains which create an extreme loss in terms of life, property, infrastructure and environment.
Floods affect tens of thousands in Tarai every year while hills are the main natural disaster occurrences which have high frequency often during monsoon seasons- land sliding.
According to meteorologists in South Asia, La Nina conditions are forecasted to develop during the second half of southwest monsoon season with strong consensus among experts.
Also it is known that normally there is above average southwest monsoon rainfall experienced all through most parts of South Asia whenever La Nina conditions prevail.
