Deadly landslides and torrential monsoon rains have killed about 30 people across Nepal, displacing more than 1,900 families and forcing hundreds of tourists to be airlifted from the Annapurna Circuit as infrastructure damage cuts off remote Himalayan districts.
Another wave of extreme weather has struck Nepal, compounding the devastation left by August’s catastrophic flooding that claimed roughly 1,400 lives. The national disaster management authority reported that four days of relentless rain, floods, and landslides destroyed over 240 homes and displaced more than 1,900 families since late last week. Roads, bridges, and buildings have been swept away across multiple districts, leaving local communities struggling to find shelter as storms continue to lash the region.
Displaced Families Shelter in Damaged Tents as Relief Efforts Stumble
In Battar, a settlement located northwest of Kathmandu, displaced residents are enduring harsh conditions inside temporary blue tents while dealing with leaking roofs and the lingering trauma of lost family members. Speaking from the camp, local resident Buti Tamang described the heavy personal toll of the disaster. Official reports from disaster management authorities document 21 deaths, five missing persons, and five injuries from the most recent wave of rain and mudslides, alongside the evacuation of approximately 3,000 residents from high-risk zones.
“We used to live in a hut, but now there is nothing. We have lost so many of our relatives.”
Buti Tamang, displaced resident
Another survivor, Ramesh Ghale, noted the grim reality faced by those who fled their homes in the wake of the mountain collapses.
Now it is raining and the tent leaks, so we’ve been facing a difficult situation.
Ramesh Ghale, displaced resident
Trekkers Evacuate the Annapurna Circuit Amid Trapped Villages and Collapsed Bridges
The Annapurna Circuit, a vital source of income for Nepal’s tourism sector that usually takes up to three weeks to complete, has seen severe disruptions. Hundreds of stranded hikers have been airlifted out by helicopter from the districts of Manang and Mustang. Many other visitors and their guides spent days navigating treacherous descents across dozens of active landslides, destroyed bridges, and deep mud after heavy snowfall blocked upper mountain passes like Thorong La.
Australian trekker Andrew Graham described the descent as perilous after navigating more than 15 landslides with his guide Prem KC while retreating from Manang village. The pair spent a night stranded in the jungle near Chame after the village was evacuated due to extreme landslide risks. In Chame, a massive slope collapse partially dammed a local river, creating a temporary lake that flooded nearby houses and destroyed a critical bridge. Local residents and authorities spent three days trying to clear the blockage with excavators.
Hydropower Damage and Regional Flooding Compound Cross-Border Crisis
The severe weather has not spared critical infrastructure or neighbouring countries. Water Resources and Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha reported that flooding along the Rahuganga River severely damaged a 40-megawatt hydropower project, prompting authorities to dispatch a technical team to assess the site and work toward restoring operations.
Meanwhile, across the border in India, the Central Water Commission confirmed that 30 river-monitoring stations across seven states faced severe conditions, with water levels surging above danger points along major waterways including the Ganga, Gandak, Kosi, Bagmati, and Narmada. Nepali authorities warned that over half of the country’s 77 districts face high flash-flood risks as river levels continue to rise.
Trekking Routes Remain Closed as Conservation Officials Hold Back Hundreds of Visitors
Despite heavy pressure from the tourism industry to reopen the region, the Annapurna Conservation Area Project has kept the Thorong Pass and Tilicho trekking routes in Manang closed until further notice. Approximately 700 trekkers remain stationed in Pokhara, waiting for permission to begin the journey while district officials and conservation managers evaluate the extent of the damage to regional roads and communication lines.