Kathmandu, 17 August (H.S.): At least 21 people have lost their lives in natural disasters in Nepal’s Rolpa and Jajarkot districts over the past four days. The incidents, triggered by continuous rainfall and subsequent landslides, have also left 11 people injured, while one person remains missing, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.
According to the authority, severe landslides occurred in the Thawang, Sunchhahari and Lungri rural municipalities of Rolpa following persistent rainfall. At least 17 people have died in these incidents. Twelve people were killed in a landslide in Thawang alone. One person is still missing, while two others sustained serious injuries.
Similarly, four people were killed in Sunchhahari and one in Lungri. In addition, four people lost their lives in a landslide in Bheri Municipality of Jajarkot district.
Authority spokesperson Shanti Mahat said the death toll from severe landslides reported at various locations following four consecutive days of heavy rainfall had risen to 21. She said one person remained missing, while the number of injured had reached 11.
She said local government bodies, the Red Cross and security personnel had also been mobilised for relief and rescue operations. A committee has been formed to conduct a geological assessment of the landslides. The committee will also carry out geological studies of landslide-affected areas in Bheri Municipality and Triveni Municipality of Bajura. The authority has directed the committee to reach the affected sites within the next three days.
The authority said prolonged rainfall in several parts of Nepal’s Himalayan and hilly regions had weakened and saturated the ground, increasing the frequency and risk of landslides. It warned that other areas also remained vulnerable to floods, flash floods, debris flows and waterlogging.
The authority has urged people to exercise extra caution during the monsoon season and remain alert to potential weather-related hazards.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
