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The terrible havoc of nature continues in the neighboring country Nepal. The catastrophic floods caused by continuous torrential monsoon rains, cloud bursts and terrible landslides in the last few days have caused huge devastation. According to official figures, so far in this disaster at least 95 people have lost their liveswhile dozens of people are seriously injured. The most worrying thing is that hundreds of Indian and foreign tourists, including the Nepali Army and Armed Police Force personnel engaged in relief and rescue operations, are still reported missing. Rivers are flowing several meters above the danger mark, due to which life has become completely disrupted from the country’s capital Kathmandu to remote hilly areas.
Army and armed police personnel also missing: huge challenges in rescue operation
The seriousness of the disaster can be gauged from the fact that the security personnel engaged in the operation to save the civilians trapped in the crisis have also fallen prey to it. Many rescue team personnel have gone missing due to landslides and strong currents of swollen rivers, special rescue teams have been deployed to search for them.
Thousands of soldiers of Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force (APF) are continuously engaged in airlifting and evacuating people from flood affected areas through helicopters, motorboats and rubber rafts. However, both air and ground rescue operations are facing great difficulties due to incessant rains, poor visibility and debris falling from the mountains.
Hundreds of tourists stranded: Contact cut off due to breakdown of highways and trekking routes
Hundreds of foreign and Indian tourists are stranded around Nepal’s major tourist destinations like Pokhara, Chitwan, Annapurna Circuit and Everest Base Camp trekking routes.
All major national highways connecting Kathmandu with the rest of the country, including the Prithvi Highway, Tribhuvan Highway and BP Highway, have been completely closed due to massive landslides and bridge collapse at dozens of places. There is a jam several kilometers long on the roads and hundreds of vehicles are stuck in the debris and mud. Due to damage to mobile towers and power failure, communication services are down in many areas, due to which stranded tourists are unable to contact their families.
Flood in Kathmandu Valley: People forced to spend the night on the roofs of houses
The situation remains extremely critical in the capital Kathmandu and its surrounding districts (Lalitpur and Bhaktapur). Bagmati, Bishnumati, Manohara and Dhobikhola rivers are in spate and have broken the embankments and entered the residential colonies.
The low-lying areas have been flooded by 8 to 10 feet of water, due to which people are taking shelter on the roofs of their houses to save their lives. Emergency services have also been badly hit with hospitals, police stations and local markets flooded. The administration has issued a strict advisory to temporarily close all educational institutions in the Kathmandu Valley and avoid non-essential travel.
Nepal government’s high alert: Danger in Indian states adjacent to the border too
Nepal’s Home Ministry and Disaster Management Authority have declared high alert in the entire country in view of the situation. All 56 gates of Kosi Barrage have been opened as the water level of Saptakoshi river has crossed the record level.
This heavy rain in the catchment areas of Nepal is also directly impacting the northern states of India across the border. There is a serious threat of flood in the border districts of Bihar – Supaul, Madhubani, Araria, Kishanganj and Purnia, due to which the local administration and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been alerted.
Meteorological Department’s warning: No relief expected for next few days
Nepal’s Meteorological Department (DHM) has warned that due to active monsoon winds and western disturbance, heavy to extremely heavy rainfall may continue over eastern and central areas of the country for the next 48 to 72 hours. Geologists have warned that the mountains are already completely saturated with water, increasing the risk of new landslides in the coming days.
The local administration has appealed to the people living on the river banks and families living in landslide-prone areas to immediately move to safe relief camps.