Fresh Landslides and Heavy Rain Kill About 30 in Nepal; Trekkers Airlifted Off Mountains

Another deadly wave of landslides and torrential rain has killed about 30 people in Nepal, the BBC has reported, as the Himalayan nation reels from August’s catastrophic flooding that left 1,400 dead and thousands missing.

The country’s national disaster management authority said more than 1,900 families have been affected since late last week, with over 240 homes damaged. Roads, buildings and bridges have been swept away across several regions, leaving communities mourning and many residents homeless in emergency tents.

The crisis has struck at the heart of Nepal’s tourism economy. Hundreds of trekkers on the famous Annapurna Circuit — a route that normally takes up to three weeks to complete — have been forced to cut their hikes short, with many airlifted out of the Manang and Mustang districts by helicopter, according to the BBC.

One stranded hiker, 21-year-old Jake Stacy from Suffolk, told the BBC he and his guide had to carve their own paths down steep, rain-soaked slopes above a swollen river after heavy snowfall blocked the route toward the high Thorong La pass.

In the village of Battar, north-west of Kathmandu, residents who fled their homes told BBC Nepali they now face heavy rain in leaking tents. “We have lost so many of our relatives,” said Buti Tamang.

Sources:
• TBS News: https://www.tbsnews.net/world/south-asia/fresh-landslides-heavy-rain-kill-about-30-nepal-strand-trekkers-1559146
• BBC World Service report: https://www.dejavu.org/cgi-bin/get.cgi?ver=95&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.yahoo.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2Farticles%2Ftrekkers-helicoptered-off-mountains-more-220122048.html