Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) said Thursday that heavy to very heavy rain will continue across several provinces through the weekend as a deep depression from the Bay of Bengal moves inland over India, according to The Farsight Nepal (opens in new tab), Ratopati English (opens in new tab), The Rising Nepal (opens in new tab), and The Kathmandu Post (opens in new tab).
The Flood Forecasting Division warned that water levels in major river systems, including the Koshi, Narayani, Karnali, Mahakali, Bagmati, and Rapti, could rise significantly over about five days, and that smaller streams face a risk of flash floods, the outlets reported. Ratopati English (opens in new tab) reported that the division rates many river points at medium risk, rising to high risk this weekend at points in the Narayani and Karnali basins, and that it issued orange warnings for high flash-flood risk in small streams in six districts, including Palpa, Gulmi, and Dang.
The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has issued a red alert for the Himalayan region in a special bulletin, calling for preparedness and response measures, according to The Kathmandu Post (opens in new tab). The department urged people to suspend treks in the Himalayan region, told trekkers already on the trails to move to safer, lower ground, and advised against long-distance road travel from Sept. 25 to 27, the Post reported.
Local authorities have begun restricting travel, according to The Kathmandu Post (opens in new tab). Chitwan district officials halted traffic on the Narayanghat–Muglin road from 8 p.m. Thursday to 5 a.m. Friday; Dang suspended night-time transport on sections of the Rapti and Madan Bhandari highways for three days from Thursday; and Ilam barred night traffic on the Mechi Highway and other high-risk roads through Sunday morning. Two rural municipalities in Makawanpur and two municipalities in Salyan closed schools Thursday and Friday, the Post reported.
DHM rainfall records showed more than 100 mm falling within 12 hours at several stations in western and central Nepal, according to The Farsight Nepal (opens in new tab). Authorities urged people living along riverbanks and in landslide-prone areas to stay alert.
Forecasters said the system may weaken into a depression over India and may not cross into Nepal directly. Even so, soils already saturated by earlier monsoon rain raise the risk of landslides and flooding, they said.
Officials gave 1155 as a toll-free number for extreme-weather and flood early warnings, and told travelers to expect disruption to road and air travel.
The Event Log attributes these forecasts and warnings to DHM and the Flood Forecasting Division, as reported by Nepali outlets. None of the cited reports includes damage or casualty figures for this system.