Landslides Claim 14 Lives In Nepal’s Ilam District Following Relentless Rainfall

At least 14 people have lost their lives in landslides triggered by continuous rainfall in Nepal’s Ilam district, local authorities confirmed.

The country has been battered by heavy rains since Friday, leading to widespread landslides, flooding, and waterlogging across several regions.

Ilam, which shares a border with Darjeeling in India, has recorded the highest number of casualties so far.

Sunita Nepal, Chief District Officer of Ilam, told IANS that landslides buried three houses on Saturday night, killing 14 people.

“As more houses have been damaged in the district, the death toll might rise,” she warned.

The District Administration Office (DAO) in Ilam has requested comprehensive reports from local governments on the extent of damage caused by the recent landslides and flooding.

According to the DAO, continuous rainfall over the past three days has not only resulted in human casualties but also caused extensive damage to public infrastructure, including road networks.

Sunita Nepal said landslides have obstructed several sections of the Mechi Highway. The highway is a key route linking Ilam with the southern Jhapa district.

While intense downpours persisted across the country since Friday, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology noted a slight improvement in weather conditions by Sunday morning.

In its Sunday update, the department reported that rainfall had eased in many districts, with the heaviest showers recorded in parts of Lalitpur district within the Kathmandu Valley.

“Light rain is occurring in some areas of Kathmandu, Morang, Sunsari, Udayapur, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Sarlahi, Sindhuli, and Ramechhap districts,” the department asserted.

However, it warned of possible heavy rainfall later on Sunday in the hilly districts of eastern Koshi Province.

Despite a temporary reduction in rainfall, landslides have caused widespread disruption to road transport, with several highways rendered impassable.

The Nepalese government has maintained its ban on vehicular movement into and out of Kathmandu Valley.

The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division confirmed that major highways remain completely blocked. These include:

• Prithvi Highway – linking Kathmandu to western Nepal,
• BP Highway – connecting the capital to the southeast, and
• Araniko Highway – leading to the Chinese border

Landslides have fully obstructed the Pasang Lhamu, Koshi, and Siddhicharan highways.

Citing safety concerns, authorities have suspended long-distance transportation services from the following five provinces:

• Koshi
• Madhesh
• Bagmati
• Gandaki
• Lumbini

This information was shared in a social media post by the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki, in a video address to the nation on Saturday evening, urged citizens to remain indoors and avoid unnecessary travel as heavy rainfall continues to affect various parts of the country.

She assured that the government would deploy all available resources to safeguard lives during the ongoing disaster.

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