Pokhara, 5 October | Life across Nepal has been severely disrupted by the continuous heavy rainfall that began on Friday night and intensified nationwide by Saturday morning. Thousands of commuters returning to Kathmandu for work after celebrating Dashain, with offices due to open on Sunday, have been stranded mid-journey. With key national highways completely blocked, the government has announced an unexpected public holiday for both Sunday and Monday. This decision offers significant relief to those stuck on the roads and unable to reach their destinations, alleviating the immediate pressure on travelers.
Major arteries leading into the capital, including the Kosshi, Prithvi, BP, Arniko, Siddicharan, Kulekhani, and Pasang Lhamu highways, are all reported to be fully obstructed. The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that the most damage is visible on the BP Highway, where many diversions constructed after last year’s flood have been washed away. Extensive road erosion has occurred at multiple points, including Chowkidanda, Ghumaune, Charshaubesi, Gimdibesi, Narke, and Mamti areas of Roshi. Furthermore, the Narayangarh-Muglin road section is facing continuous rock falls at Tuin Khola, leading to a complete suspension of all vehicular movement through Chitwan. The Ministry is coordinating efforts to swiftly move stranded passengers and vehicles to safe locations. In a humanitarian gesture, hotels in Dhulikhel (Kavre), Chitwan, and along the Koshi Highway have begun providing free or subsidized food and accommodation for the affected travelers.
Despite the widespread chaos, the coordinated efforts of government bodies—including the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, and the Ministries of Home, Energy, and Physical Infrastructure—have so far prevented major humanitarian disasters. However, the country has witnessed several tragic incidents. A vehicle accident in Kummayak Rural Municipality in Panchthar resulted in six fatalities and six injuries when a Bolero jeep traveling from Taplejung to Itahari crashed on the Tamor Corridor. In Rasuwa’s Langtang area, four members of a 16-person team from Bhaktapur—Sanskriti Shrestha, Kishan Shrestha, Sangita Shrestha, and Ravi Shrestha—were swept away and are missing after a flooded stream near Bering Kholsa inundated their path. Additionally, two 16-year-old boys died after being struck by lightning in Rautahat, where continuous heavy rain has caused widespread inundation of settlements and government offices.
Meteorologists warn that the risk remains high, with intense rainfall expected until Sunday morning. The western parts of the Madhesh Province, from Parsa’s Kalikamai to Rautahat’s Gaur, have experienced extremely heavy rainfall (over 200 millimeters) in the last 24 hours, with Maheshpur in Rautahat recording a high of 277 millimeters. Director-General Kamal Ram Joshi of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology confirmed the current Red Alert is still active but noted that the rain system is expected to shift eastward by Sunday morning, posing an increasing risk to areas like Ilam and Jhapa. Consequently, authorities are urging residents in Eastern Nepal to begin their preparations for flood and landslide risk. All domestic flights remain grounded, and several international flights have been diverted due to the persistent poor weather and visibility.
