Floods and Landslides Kill 68 in India and Nepal
At a Glance
- Heavy rain caused floods and landslides across northern India and Nepal.
- Uttar Pradesh recorded 56 deaths and damage to more than 1,000 homes.
- Nepal reported 12 deaths and seven people missing since Thursday.
- More than 70,000 people were evacuated in India’s Odisha state.
Heavy rain has triggered floods and landslides across northern India and Nepal, killing at least 68 people over three days and forcing thousands from their homes.
Key Statements and Focus Area
- India: “Exceptionally heavy rain” followed a depression over the Bay of Bengal that moved inland and intensified rainfall across the region. — Uttar Pradesh Relief Commissioner’s Office.
- Nepal: “Since Thursday, 12 people have died in rain-related disasters like floods and landslides.” — Shanti Mahat, Nepal disaster authority spokesperson.
- Focus Area: Flooding and landslides have caused deaths, housing damage, evacuations, and infrastructure disruption across parts of India and Nepal.
In Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, authorities recorded 56 deaths over the three-day period and reported damage to more than 1,000 houses. The state received 66.5 millimetres of rain between Friday and Sunday, compared with a seasonal average of 7.6 millimetres.
The downpours also damaged crops, raising concerns among farmers about delays to planting for the upcoming agricultural season. In neighboring Nepal, seven people remain missing following the latest wave of rain-related disasters.
The new flooding comes as the country continues to recover from a catastrophic flood on August 26. That disaster, triggered by a glacial mountain collapse on the China-Nepal border, killed more than 1,400 people and left thousands missing. In India's eastern Odisha state, more than 70,000 people in low-lying areas were evacuated after rivers rose following heavy rainfall.
Flooding also damaged bridges and culverts in Odisha, while authorities closed Devkund, a popular tourist destination. Scientists have increasingly linked the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events across South Asia to rising temperatures and changing climate patterns.
FYI
India's annual monsoon season runs from June to September and regularly brings heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides. The rains are particularly significant after prolonged hot periods that can leave parts of the country facing water shortages and drought.
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