KATHMANDU — Nepal has closed schools for three days following devastating landslides and floods that resulted from two days of heavy rainfall, causing 100 fatalities and leaving 67 people missing, officials reported on Sunday (Sept 29). The flooding halted traffic and daily activities in the Kathmandu valley, where 37 of the deaths occurred in an area populated by four million residents, including the capital. Officials noted that students and parents were facing challenges due to damage to school and university buildings requiring repairs.

We have advised the relevant authorities to close schools in the affected regions for three days, stated Lakshmi Bhattarai, a spokesperson for the education ministry, to Reuters. Some areas of the capital experienced rainfall of up to 322.2 mm (12.7 inches), which caused the main Bagmati River to rise 2.2 m (7 ft) above the danger level, according to experts.

However, there were signs of improvement on Sunday morning, as rain began to ease in many locations, said Govinda Jha, a weather forecaster. Isolated showers may occur, but heavy rains are unlikely, he noted. kathmandu weather officials attributed the intense rainfall to a low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal, affecting parts of neighboring India close to Nepal.

Environmental risk official Arun Bhakta Shrestha remarked, Ive never witnessed flooding of this magnitude in Kathmandu. He called on the government and urban planners to urgently enhance infrastructure, including both engineered and nature-based stormwater and sewage systems. The severity of the flooding was worsened by inadequate drainage stemming from unplanned urbanization, construction on floodplains, insufficient water retention areas, and encroachment on the Bagmati River.

In Nepals southeastern region, the water level in the Koshi River has begun to recede, reported Ram Chandra Tiwari, the regional chief bureaucrat. The river, which frequently causes destructive floods in Indias eastern state of Bihar, had been flowing at nearly three times its normal level, above the danger mark.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from Reuters.