At least 30 people have died in Nepal over the past week due to a series of heavy rains and landslides, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. This comes as the country continues to recover from devastating flash floods in August, which claimed more than 1,400 lives and left nearly 6,000 people missing while destroying entire settlements.
Recent landslides have damaged roads, bridges, and homes, cutting off communities and forcing residents into emergency shelters. The disrupted infrastructure has also significantly impacted Nepal’s tourism industry, particularly the Annapurna Circuit, a popular trekking route. Hundreds of trekkers have been stranded or forced to abandon their expeditions, with many requiring airlift evacuation from remote villages such as Manang and Mustang after transportation routes were blocked or destroyed.
Trekkers reported facing dangerous conditions while attempting to evacuate by land, including crossing multiple landslide sites, flooded areas, and damaged trails. Some travelers took up to four days to reach safety, while others spent nights stranded in forested areas. Nepali guides described a tense situation as residents and visitors braced for further disaster amid ongoing heavy rain and snowfall. One landslide struck near Samagaun village in the Manaslu region early on Sunday, prompting a chaotic evacuation as the noise from multiple landslides alarmed hundreds of trekkers and expedition workers staying there.
In addition to landslides, an avalanche near Himlung Peak, close to the Tibet border in the Nar Phu area of Manang district, killed at least four people and left 12 missing. The avalanche swept away the base camp at the 7,126-meter peak last Sunday. Rescue efforts faced delays due to adverse weather conditions. Officials described recent events as part of a particularly hazardous period for mountaineers this season. The chief of the National Mountain Guides Association emphasized the need for climbers to hire qualified, experienced guides to mitigate risks inherent in high-altitude expeditions.
The recent weather patterns have also affected local infrastructure, with power outages reported in Manang, Mustang, Myagdi, and Baglung districts. The rising water levels of the Rahuganga River damaged transmission towers connected to a 40MW hydropower project, according to Nepal’s water resources and energy minister, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha. Authorities are working to drain a lake formed behind a landslide near Chame, which partially blocked a river and flooded homes and a bridge.
Authorities have issued flood warnings for 49 of Nepal’s 77 districts, with over half the country considered at high risk. Districts severely impacted by previous floods, such as Rasuwa and Nuwakot, have been advised to remain alert despite not currently being classified as high-risk. Meanwhile, the closure of key travel routes has forced pilgrim traffic at Muktinath, an important Hindu site, to rely on flights from Jomsom to Pokhara due to road blockages.
The ongoing natural disasters highlight the vulnerability of Nepal’s mountainous regions during the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons, underscoring challenges for both local communities and the country’s critical tourism sector.