193 lives lost as devastating floods ravage Nepal's capital, Kathmandu | PHOTOS

Kathmandu: Residents of Kathmandu, Nepal, returned to their damaged homes on Sunday after devastating floods swept through the city, resulting in at least 193 deaths across the country. The heavy rains, typical during the monsoon season from June to September, have become more frequent and severe due to climate change, experts say.

Over the weekend, flash floods inundated entire neighbourhoods in Kathmandu, severely affecting highways that connect the capital to other parts of Nepal. Kumar Tamang, a resident living near a river, described how he and his family had to escape their home late Saturday as water surged in.

"This morning we returned and everything looks different," the 40-year-old said. "We couldn't even open the doors to our house, it was jammed with mud," he added. "Yesterday we were afraid that the water would kill us, but today we have no water to clean."

Ministry spokesman Rishi Ram Tiwari reported that bulldozers are working to clear blocked highways that have cut off Kathmandu from the rest of the country. "More than 3,000 people have been rescued," he added. Among the dead, at least 35 were trapped in vehicles buried by a landslide on a highway south of the city.

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology reported record rainfall, with Kathmandu airport recording about 240 millimetres (9.4 inches) of rain in just 24 hours - the highest amount since 2002. The Bagmati River and its tributaries overflowed, flooding homes and streets as residents waded through chest-deep water seeking higher ground. Some had to cut through their roofs to escape rising water levels.

Bishnu Maya Shrestha, who lived in another inundated area of Kathmandu, said they had to cut the roof of their homes to escape. "We jumped from one roof to another to safety and finally they came with boats to rescue us," said Shrestha.

Over 3,000 security personnel were deployed to help with rescue operations, utilising helicopters and motorboats. Rescue teams also used rafts to bring survivors to safety, with humanitarian organisations assisting in search and relief efforts. Jagan Chapagain, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said in a post on social platform X that staff and volunteers "are distributing non-food items, providing hygiene kits, and setting up evacuation centres".

By Sunday morning, domestic flights had resumed after being grounded due to the weather, with over 150 flights cancelled since Friday.

The summer monsoon typically accounts for 70-80 percent of South Asia's annual rainfall, bringing destruction each year. However, the increasing intensity and frequency of fatal floods and landslides in recent years have raised concerns among experts, who point to climate change as a major factor.

Earlier this year, a landslide in Chitwan district caused two buses with 59 passengers to plunge into a river, resulting in only three survivors, while 20 bodies were recovered amid ongoing flooding. In total, more than 260 people have died in Nepal due to rain-related disasters this year.

Agency