The end of September usually marks a time to spend with loved ones and welcome the great festival of Dashain. But 2024 has not been so kind. Heavy rainfall brought a nationwide calamity, leaving Nepal mourning instead of celebrating.
Parts of Kathmandu, including impoverished neighbourhoods along the Bagmati River, were heavily flooded. Heavy rain was forecasted a week prior, prompting the Flood Forecasting Division to advise caution. The extreme rain primarily fell in Eastern Nepal, though western districts were also affected. The tourist hub of Pokhara, too, was hit by flooding. At least 241 people were killed, and 169 are still missing, with the disaster affecting both urban slum dwellers and remote villages.
