Heavy rains and landslides have killed at least 51 people across eastern Nepal, with Ilam district in Koshi province reporting the highest toll.
Rescue operations are underway, with security forces airlifting survivors, including a pregnant woman, as several people remain missing.
India has offered assistance, while Nepal eased some travel restrictions amid improving weather, though night-time movement and domestic flights remain suspended.
At least 51 people have lost their lives in eastern Nepal following landslides and floods triggered by relentless rainfall since Saturday night, officials said on Sunday. According to the Armed Police Force (APF), the worst-affected region is Ilam district in Koshi province, where 37 people were killed in multiple landslides over the past two days.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) reported that Deumai and Maijogmai municipalities recorded eight deaths each, while Ilam and Sandakpur municipalities reported six each.
Fatalities were also confirmed in other parts of the country — two people died in Udayapur and one in Panchthar due to floods and landslides, while lightning strikes claimed three lives in Rautahat and two in Khotang. In Panchthar, six people died in a road accident caused by rain-damaged roads. Search operations are ongoing for at least seven people missing across different districts, including trekkers swept away by swollen rivers in the Langtang Conservation Area.
Rescue teams from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and the APF have been mobilised, airlifting four people — including a pregnant woman — from Ilam to a hospital in Dharan. Monsoon conditions remain active in five provinces: Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki, and Lumbini.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended condolences and offered assistance, saying India stands with the people and government of Nepal during this difficult time. Meanwhile, as weather conditions improved on Sunday, the Nepal government eased travel restrictions, allowing emergency and goods transport vehicles to move under local supervision. However, night-time travel remains restricted on risky routes. Domestic flights from several airports, including Kathmandu, remain suspended due to poor weather.
In a post on X, Prime Minister Modi said, "The loss of lives and damage caused by heavy rains in Nepal is distressing. We stand with the people and Government of Nepal in this difficult time." "As a friendly neighbour and first responder, India remains committed to providing any assistance that may be required," he said.
