A government official in Nepal announced on Sunday that one person has been killed and at least 25 others are missing due to floods and landslides caused by heavy rainfall in the eastern part of the country. This is the first known fatality since the start of the annual monsoon season last week.
The official stated that "the heavy rainwater swept through a hydroelectric project under construction on the Hiwa River in the Sankhuwasabha district of eastern Nepal, where 16 workers are still missing." He added, "One body has been recovered and the police are searching for the missing workers."
Officials noted that "nine people are also missing following floods and landslides in the nearby regions of Taplejung and Panchthar, adjacent to India in the east." An official from Panchthar indicated that the rains overnight had damaged two bridges on a highway, cutting off access to the remote Taplejung area, where four people have been reported missing.
Officials mentioned that the heavy rain has prevented rescuers from reaching the village of Sidingwa, which is located in the hilly region, and there are fears that at least 20 houses are at risk of being swept away by floods.
The annual monsoon season in Nepal, crucial for crops, typically begins in mid-June and lasts until September. Each year, hundreds are killed or go missing due to rains that cause floods and inundate villages and crops, damaging infrastructure in the mountainous nation located between China and India.
