Kanchanpur: A devastating cloudburst on July 7 in Kanchanpur district has caused damages estimated at Rs 1.57 billion, according to the District Administration Office. The disaster severely impacted physical infrastructure, agriculture, industries, livestock, and other properties across the district.

Acting Chief District Officer Parshuram Pokharel reported that the assessment of losses conducted by various offices in the district revealed significant destruction. The agriculture sector bore the brunt of the damage, suffering losses exceeding Rs 654 million.

The Mahakali Irrigation Management Office reported damages worth Rs 292.2 million, while the Road Division Office and the Infrastructure Development Office recorded losses of nearly Rs 40 million and Rs 72 million, respectively. In addition to these, several other offices and private properties were also heavily impacted by the flood and inundation caused by the cloudburst.

Tragically, four people lost their lives in the disaster. A study conducted by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology identified the event as a 'Terai Cloudburst,' attributing the extreme rainfall to the interaction of monsoon systems in the upper, middle, and lower atmospheres, along with a low-pressure system in the Westerly wind.

The intense downpour led to the inundation of Kanchanpur's plains, with various rivulets overflowing and causing widespread damage. Approximately 85 square kilometers of agricultural land and around 14,000 physical structures were affected by the disaster.