At least 47 people have lost their lives in Ilam, Panchthar, Rautahat, Udaipur, Khotang and Kavre due to monsoon disaster. More than five thousand families have been displaced due to the floods. Dozens of roads in Koshi, Madhesh and Bagmati provinces have been damaged, affecting the movement of passengers traveling to celebrate Dasain.

The highest number of deaths due to landslides occurred in Ilam. According to Central Police Spokesperson Vinod Ghimire, 37 people died and 5 were injured in landslides in Ilam in two days.

8-8 people died in Myjogmai Rural Municipality and Deumai Municipality, 6-6 in Ilam Municipality and Sandakpur Rural Municipality, 5 in Suryodaya Municipality, 3 in Mangsebung Rural Municipality and 1 in Phakphokthung Rural Municipality. 

According to the Armed Police Force, 3 people have died in Rautahat, 2 each in Panchthar, Udaipur and Khotang and 1 person in Kavre in the flood. The details of the death of 53 people, including 6 people who died in a jeep accident in Panchthar on Saturday, have been released by the Armed Forces on Sunday evening. 

The Department of Water and Meteorology had predicted that Monsoon activity will be active in Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini provinces from 17 to 20 October on 15 October. It was said that the low pressure weather system developed in the Bay of Bengal will enter from Odisha, India and move towards Central India and its impact will affect Nepal. The department estimated that its impact will be on Narayani, Bagmati, Kamla and Koshi rivers. In the notification issued by the

department, it was said that there is a high possibility of sudden flow in the Sasana river which flows through Kathmandu valley of Bagmati province, Kavre, Sindhupalchok, Rasuwa, Makwanpur, Chitwan, Sankhuwasabha of Koshi province, Taplejung, Ilam, Jhapa, Morang and Bara, Parsa, Sarlahi, Rautahat and surrounding districts of Madhesh province. "Mainly from 18 to 20 October, special vigilance is requested," the department said in the notification. 

After forecasting that the flow of water in the river would increase, even the Ministry of Home Affairs had increased preparations for possible damage reduction and rescue. Home Minister Omprakash Aryal visited the disaster management units of Nepal Police and Armed Police on October 17 and took information about the preparations. He also instructed to work with high morale without leaving any stone unturned in reducing possible damage and rescue. 

The ministry decided to close long and short distance vehicles for two days. The steps taken by the ministry on the eve of the disaster are being appreciated. But this year there has been an unexpected loss in Elam. According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Maipokhari station in Ilam received 269.4 mm of rain in 24 hours, Ilam tea garden station received 272.6 mm and Kanyam 275 mm. Generally: Rainfall of more than 144 mm in 24 hours is considered a risk for landslides.

Anil Pokharel, the former chief executive officer of National Disaster Mitigation and Management Authority, says that this year in Ilam, the water is the same as last year in Lalitpur and Kavre.

"It seems that the government has carefully coordinated and mobilized all agencies as soon as the water and weather forecasting department gave a warning, which is positive," he says, "but the human losses in Ilam show that our disaster preparedness has not yet reached the transformative stage." If the damage could be prevented in Ilam, it could be considered as a progress in disaster response.' 

In the past, Pokharel's analysis is that the advice/instructions given to stop the traffic after risk assessment were not followed by the government agencies themselves. He adds, "this year, there was no weakness in coordination." 

A deputy secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs also says that there is a situation where more vigilance can be adopted in Ilam. "Even though the Weather Forecast Division gave the details of the risk by province, the water and meteorology department's portal contained the details of how much rain is falling in the district," he said to Kantipur.

Barrier on the road entering the valley 

According to the Valley Traffic Police Office, traffic was not disrupted on the Nagadhunga-Muglin road section throughout the day on Sunday. At night, traffic is prohibited in the area. Another BP highway that enters the valley is blocked by landslides in places. BP Highway is expected to take a few days to operate.

According to Traffic Police Chief Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Navraj Adhikari, the condition of Thakhel road section from Kathmandu to Hetaunda is fine, but vehicles are not allowed to drive at night. While there is no problem on Tribhuvan highway, one way road is being operated on Arani highway.

Officials say that there is no problem even on the Narayanghat-Butwal road section and Siddharth Highway. Traffic has been stopped after a landslide occurred at Ghattepakha under the Kanti Lokpath. "Due to continuous rain, the road there has not been opened," SSP official said, "Probably the road will be operational by tomorrow." 

There is no problem in the Kaligandaki corridor. The diversion of Bhalu Khola in Jhapa's Mechinagar Municipality under the East-West Highway has been washed away by flood. There is no problem on the Dharan-Dhankuta road section. A one-way road is being operated on the Hille-Pakhriwas-Leguwa road section. 

The highways connecting the country with the capital were experiencing problems since Friday evening. Officials of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority say that the road infrastructure is not safe even under normal risks as the highways are blocked with one and a half hundred millimeters of rain.

President of Nepal Engineers Association Subas  Baral also says that it is ironic that the road connecting to the capital cannot be prepared in such a way that it can run in all weathers. "Most of the roads in Nepal are built by cutting the mountains, it has an impact in one way or another," he said. Even if there is a study, it will be left as it will cost more to protect it.' 

According to Baral, the most suitable option for all-weather vehicle operation in hilly areas is to make tunnels, and overpasses can be placed in valleys. "We have just started to build the tunnel," he adds, "The road that is cut through the mountain is the least expensive. In the name of reducing the cost, the passengers are suffering every year because the time of disaster is not taken into account."