Monsoon rains claim 49 lives, with Ilam recording 37 deaths

By Prem Adhikari,Ilam (Pashupatinagar), Oct. 6: The monsoon disaster since Friday has claimed the lives of 49 people, including 38 in Ilam, according to the Armed Police Force (APF) Headquarters. 

The APF’s Joint Spokesperson and DSP Shailendra Thapa said on Sunday afternoon that other affected districts include Udayapur, where two fatalities were reported; Khotang with one death; Panchthar with six, and Rautahat with three.

One person remains missing in Ilam, while seven others were injured, he said.

Most of the fatalities occurred due to floods and landslides, while a few were caused by lightning strikes and accidents.

The incessant rains of Saturday night unleashed catastrophic floods and landslides across Ilam district, killing at least 38 people and causing widespread damage to homes, roads, and infrastructure.

Once considered one of the most accessible hilly districts in eastern Nepal, the downpour of Saturday night has severed Ilam from the national road network as the massive floods in the Mai, Puwa and Jog Mai rivers washed away all key bridges of the Mechi Highway and its alternative routes.

According to Chief District Officer of Ilam, Sunita Nepal, although the number of destroyed homes appears relatively small, the death toll has been high because many victims were asleep when the landslides struck. Nearly every part of the district has been affected, and officials fear the number of casualties may rise as rescue operations continue.

Fatalities have been reported from Ilam Municipality, Deumai Municipality, Suryodaya Municipality, Maijogmai Rural Municipality, Sandakpur Rural Municipality, Phakphokthum Rural Municipality, and Mangsebung Rural Municipality.

The highest death tolls have been recorded in Deumai and Maijogmai, each with eight confirmed deaths. Suryodaya reported five fatalities, Ilam Municipality six, Sandakpur seven, Mangsebung three, and Phakphokthum one.

Among the deceased are entire families who were asleep when their homes were buried by landslides. Many of the victims had gathered to celebrate the Dashain festival.

Victims identified

In Phakphokthum-3, Ratmate, 28-year-old Suresh Limbu lost his life. In Suryodaya-1, Manebhanjyang, six people perished, including 65-year-old Manmaya Kshetri, 10-year-old Basmika Kshetri, and three visitors from Dolakha, Dip, Bhawani, and Divya Basnet, who had come to celebrate Dashain with relatives.

In Ghosh of Ilam Municipality-6, Samir Deujali, 23, Prabin Tamang, 23, Biraj Pakhrin, 23, Anu Tamang, 32, from Jhapa’s Arjundhara-6, Prinsikha Magar, 8, from Mai Municipality-5, and Awas Danuwar, 3, from Arjundhara perished in a landslide. 

In Deumai-5, five members of a single family perished, including Roshan Limbu, 22, Babisa Rai, 22, Deepak Limbu, 30, Rishika Limbu, 27, and Dipiska Limbu.

A particularly devastating landslide in Mangsebung-1, Partigaun killed Saujana Limbu, 9, Saugat Limbu, 11, Krishna Maya Limbu, 57, Maya Limbu, and Neha Rai, 17, from Panchthar.

In Sandakpur-1, six individuals lost their lives, among them Bhimbahadur Rai, 48, Harimaya Rai, 66, Devi Rai, 47, Shekhar Rai, 54, Sarad Rai, 74, and Taradevi Rai, 48, confirmed SP Ek Narayan Koirala of the Ilam District Police Office.

Meanwhile, in Pyang of Maijogmai-6, nine members of a single household—including Kiran and Krishna Magar (28), Manmaya Thebe (18), Munusa Thebe (3), and elderly couple Barmalal (82) and Buddhamaya Songmi (70)—were buried alive when they were asleep.

Rescue teams reported at least eight injured, three of whom have been pulled to safety. However, five remain trapped in remote parts of Sandakpur Rural Municipality. Helicopter rescues were attempted but hampered by poor weather. One pregnant woman was among three people airlifted to Dharan for medical treatment.

CDO Sunita Nepal said, “We have mobilised the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police across the district, but many inner roads are blocked, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach the affected areas.”

Continuous floods and landslides have disrupted all major and minor highways. The Mechi Highway, a critical lifeline linking Ilam, Panchthar, Taplejung, and Jhapa, remains completely blocked after landslides at the Rajdhuwali section severed transportation links.

The Jogmai Hydropower Project has suffered total destruction, while power supply across the district remains cut off. According to Bijuli Prasad Yadav, head of the Nepal Electricity Authority Ilam office, it may take several days to restore electricity.

Communication networks have also collapsed, leaving many remote villages isolated.

Bridges wash away 

The bridges washed away include a concrete bridge at Mai River at Belase, two Belly Bridges over the Puwa River and the Jog Mai River along the Kechana-Kanchenjungha road, which served as an alternative route for small vehicles. With these routes blocked, all transport from Jhapa to Ilam, Panchthar, and Taplejung has been stopped, affecting daily commuters, supply chains, and access to medical services, according to Superintendent of Police Narendra Subedi of the Armed Police Force. 

The Rajduwali-Bhanjyang section of the Mechi Highway, prone to repeated landslides, has been damaged despite costly repairs over the years. Underground water flow has complicated previous restoration efforts, and recent flooding has further destroyed a concrete bridge over the Deumai River, washing away half of the structure and six nearby homes in Gajurmukhi Dham.

Authorities continue rescue operations while warning locals to avoid unsafe areas. A Nepali Army helicopter evacuated injured residents, and local police are coordinating with disaster management teams to reach isolated communities.

This disaster underscores the urgent need for resilient infrastructure, early warning systems, and disaster preparedness in Ilam and other eastern hill districts. With continued monsoon rains, the risk of further landslides and flooding remains high, said SP Subedi.