Floods, landslides kill 15 in India, four in Nepal as rivers rise

Severe flooding and landslides swept across parts of India and Nepal, resulting in at least 19 deaths and leaving 10 workers missing, according to authorities. In Uttar Pradesh, India, 15 fatalities and five injuries were reported over the past two days, with 117 homes damaged. Heavy rainfall and storms impacted 63 districts, with the state recording 19 times its typical rainfall in a single day.

In Nepal, a landslide buried a family in Nishi Khola village, killing four people, including three children and a woman. Ten Nepali workers were also missing after an avalanche struck the base camp of the 7,126-meter Himlung Himal in the Manang district, while they were constructing tents for foreign climbers. Authorities issued a warning of possible flash floods in 49 of Nepal's 77 districts, with more than half facing high flood or flash-flood risks as river and tributary levels continue to rise.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority advised Rasuwa and Nuwakot, areas affected by last month's deadly floods, to remain vigilant but not yet high-risk zones. Flooding damaged a 40-megawatt hydropower project's structure and transmission-line towers, prompting a technical team to assess the damage and restore operations.

In India, the Central Water Commission reported that 30 river-monitoring stations in seven states were in a "severe situation," with water levels between danger marks and previous highest flood levels. Major rivers like the Ganga, Gandak, Kosi, Bagmati, and Narmada were all above danger levels at monitoring stations. The floods and landslides also disrupted telecommunications in Nepal after damage to optical fibres and power supplies, according to Communications Minister Bikram Timilsinha.