KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Update: Nepal floods and landslides caim 232 lives, 23 missing as rescue efforts continue
The death toll from last week’s floods and landslides triggered by continuous rainfall has risen to 232, with 23 people still reported missing.
According to Nepal Police, 165 individuals have been injured in the disaster, and 17,031 people have been rescued from affected areas so far.
Authorities are working to clear blocked roads caused by the floods and landslides across various parts of the country. Police have advised those planning long trips to contact the relevant district police office for updates before traveling.
Floods and landslides cause over Rs 17 billion in damage
The floods and landslides triggered by relentless rains last Thursday and Friday have inflicted immense pain and suffering on affected communities.
Initial reports estimate damages from these disasters to be approximately Rs 17 billion across 21 districts, with ongoing assessments likely to reveal even higher figures.
According to Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal, 21 districts have been impacted, with Kavrepalanchowk, Lalitpur, Dhading, Kathmandu, Sindhupalchowk, Sindhuli, and Makwanpur experiencing the most severe destruction.
17 sections of different highways still blocked
A total of 17 road sections along different highways which were damaged by the landslides and floods after the downpour last week still remain blocked for traffic.
According to Nepal Police, 17 road sections have yet not opened though most of the roads are open for traffic.
Seven other road sections are open for one-way traffic. Spokesperson of Home Ministry Rishiram Tiwari said that they were working to resume the vehicular movement along the highways by clearing the debris and carrying out other maintenance works.
Hearing Committee endorses Raut as the next Chief Justice
The name of Prakash Man Singh Raut, the proposed Chief Justice, has been unanimously approved by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee.
The Constitutional Council had recommended Raut for the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and his hearing took place on Wednesday before the Parliamentary Hearing Committee.
Following the hearing, the committee confirmed Raut as the next Chief Justice.
Vandalism at CPN-Maoist student wing conference venue, 98 chairs broken
A growing dispute has erupted within the All Nepal National Independent Students Union (Revolutionary), or ANNISU-R, the student wing of CPN (Maoist Center), after the closed session was postponed until Wednesday.
The closed session, which was being held at the conference venue in Kirtipur, was halted until 10 a.m. on Ashwin 17, leading to acts of vandalism at the site.
The conference, which began on Ashwin 10, fell into uncertainty due to disputes over age limits. Dissatisfied members caused the disruption after the session was suspended and the responsibility to resolve the leadership selection and age-limit issues was handed over to the party.
1100 MW of electricity lost due to recent floods and landslides
his year’s devastating floods and landslides have severely impacted electricity production in Nepal, leading to a loss of at least 1,100 MW of hydroelectric power due to disruptions in production and transmission.
The damage has complicated the transmission and distribution systems of various hydropower projects, with the capacity of stalled projects estimated to be around 650 MW.
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has indicated that meeting the current demand will be challenging, as many power stations remain closed due to the emergency triggered by the disasters.
Over 800,000 tourists visit Nepal in first nine months of 2024
More than 800,000 foreign tourists visited Nepal in the first nine months of 2024.
According to the Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 816,339 tourists visited Nepal from January to September this year.
Maniraj Lamichhane, Director at the NTB, said that overall tourist arrivals have increased by six percent compared to 2023 and four percent compared to 2019.
Dashain flights to start at 4:30 am at night-operational airports
The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has announced that all airports capable of handling night flights will be operational from as early as 4:30 a.m.
This arrangement will remain in place until Ashwin 30 to meet the travel demands caused by floods and the festive season.
Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Badri Pandey, said that this step aims to address the increased air traffic pressure brought on by the floods and festivals.
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