Monsoon rains leave more than 60 dead in Nepal and India

Landslides and floods have caused widespread destruction in several parts of Nepal and the neighbouring Indian state of West Bengal, claiming dozens of lives, authorities said on Sunday.

In Nepal, there were more than 40 fatalities, while at least 23 deaths were recorded in West Bengal. The affected regions were hit by heavy monsoon rains.

Nepal police spokesman Binod Ghimire told dpa that most of the deaths occurred in the Ilam district of eastern Nepal, where multiple landslides struck since Saturday night.

“A total of 37 people were killed from landslides in Ilam alone, while the remaining fatalities were due to lightning and flash floods in other areas,” Ghimire said, adding that at least six people are still reported missing across the country.

Elsewhere in the country, fatalities were caused by lightning strikes and flash floods. The Himalayan nation has been experiencing heavy rainfall since Friday. Several roads and bridges have been severely damaged or washed away, according to police.

In the Kathmandu Valley, which includes the capital Kathmandu, riverbanks overflowed and thousands of homes flooded. Many people across the country are still reported missing.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described his country as a “friendly neighbour” offered assistance to Nepal.

“We stand with the people and Government of Nepal in this difficult tim,” he wrote on X.

Landslides in India

In India’s West Bengal, heavy rains triggered floods and landslides, with the northern part of the state being the worst affected. Twelve people died in the Darjeeling district, and 11 in the Mirik district, the Hindu newspaper reported, citing the local Gorkhaland Territorial Administration.

In Darjeeling, floodwaters swept away part of a railway bridge over the Balasan River, and many houses and roads were damaged or destroyed, the paper reported. Some remote villages have been cut off, according to the Hindustan Times.

The monsoon season in South Asia typically lasts from June to September. Each year, hundreds of people die in landslides and floods during this period, and the damage is often extensive. At the same time, the rains are vital for agriculture in the region.