Devastating Floods and Landslides Claim Dozens of Lives Across India and Nepal

Sludge-ridden houses sit along the Tadi River at Devighat in Nepal's Nuwakot district on September 26, 2026. Heavy rainfall has triggered catastrophic floods and landslides, resulting in at least 56 deaths in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and 12 fatalities in neighboring Nepal.

Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod, Uttar Pradesh’s relief commissioner, reported on Sunday that the state experienced 66.5mm (2.6 inches) of rain from Friday to Sunday morning, a significant surge compared to the normal 7.6mm for this timeframe. The casualties, along with 46 injuries, stemmed from exceptionally heavy downpours affecting vast areas of Uttar Pradesh. More than 1,000 homes suffered damage as a depression over the Bay of Bengal moved inland and intensified regional precipitation.

Uttar Pradesh, home to over 240 million residents, regularly encounters severe weather during the monsoon season spanning from June to September. Meanwhile, in India’s eastern state of Odisha, authorities evacuated upwards of 70,000 individuals from low-lying zones after swelling rivers overflowed, as noted by the NDTV news network. The storms severely impacted infrastructure, damaging bridges and culverts and forcing the closure of Devkund, a major local tourist destination.

Furthermore, India’s Central Water Commission flagged 30 river-monitoring stations across seven states as experiencing severe conditions, with prominent waterways such as the Ganga, Gandak, Kosi, Bagmati, and Narmada surpassing danger thresholds.

In Nepal, following a late August disaster that claimed more than 1,400 lives, a fresh wave of floods and landslides has caused at least 12 deaths since Thursday, leaving multiple people unaccounted for, according to officials. Authorities have issued warnings for potential flash floods across 49 of the country's 77 districts, with more than half facing heightened risks as river and tributary levels continue to climb.

Electricity networks have suffered widespread disruptions in the Manang, Mustang, Myagdi, and Baglung districts. Officials from the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation confirmed restoration efforts are ongoing. Water Resources and Energy Minister Biraj Bhakta Shrestha reported that flooding along the Rahuganga River impacted structures and transmission-line towers tied to a 40-megawatt hydropower initiative.

Shanti Mahat, spokesperson for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, advised that Rasuwa and Nuwakot—localities battered by previous floods—remain vigilant, though they are not currently classified in the high-risk tier.