Kathmandu: At least 170 people have lost their lives due to various monsoon-induced disasters across Nepal over the past two months, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). In addition to the fatalities, 44 individuals have been reported missing, and 195 have sustained injuries in incidents such as floods, landslides, and inundations between June 10 and August 8.

The NDRRMA reported that the number of deaths from monsoon-triggered disasters has significantly increased compared to last year. In the previous monsoon season, natural disasters claimed 72 lives, injured 100 people, and left 28 missing. This year, the impact has been far more severe.

Monsoon-induced disasters have affected 2,998 households, with 197 houses completely destroyed and 170 partially damaged. In addition to residential damage, three public offices, five concrete bridges, 15 suspension bridges, and one hydropower plant have also been damaged during this period.

The disasters recorded during these two months include 169 cases of flooding, 336 cases of landslides, 228 incidents of heavy rainfall, and 88 lightning strikes. Moreover, 471 other incidents, including fires, storms, animal attacks, wildfires, and snakebites, were reported, resulting in an additional 19 fatalities.

The country has recorded an average of 171.7 millimeters of rainfall since the onset of the monsoon, with some areas experiencing unprecedented levels of precipitation. Chandani Dodhara in Kanchanpur district recorded 624 millimeters of rainfall, the highest in 77 years, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.

In response to these disasters, a total of 8,252 personnel from the Nepal Police, 5,817 from the Armed Police Force, and 4,708 from the Nepali Army were deployed in search, rescue, and relief distribution operations across the affected regions.