Nepal Floods: Monsoon Fury Unleashes Devastation

Deadly floods and landslides recently impacted Nepal, triggered by a vigorous monsoon. This weather event was intensified by a low-pressure system originating over neighbouring India. The affected region experienced persistent heavy rainfall for about ten days, with accumulated precipitation reaching intense levels.

Contributing factors included a monsoon trough acting as a moisture highway and a secondary trough feeding humid air into the storm zone. Additionally, a western disturbance interacted with the low-pressure system, intensifying the rainfall over Nepal and western Uttar Pradesh in India.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has classified the system as a monsoon depression. Rainfall over the Tibetan plateau in southern China also contributed to the hazardous conditions, leading to flash floods and debris flows in northern Nepal.

The threat is ongoing, with moderate to heavy rain expected to continue over Nepal for the next three days. Southern Nepal may experience intense downpours. The WMO has issued a call for vigilance against secondary disasters, including landslides and flash floods.

Rain is anticipated to persist across East India, Nepal, and Bangladesh for the next five days. Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh in India are also expected to receive significant rainfall, with localized totals potentially exceeding 25 cm, increasing the risk of inundation and geophysical hazards.