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A new wave of landslides and torrential rain has killed around 30 people across Nepal, compounding a humanitarian crisis that has already left the Himalayan nation reeling from catastrophic flooding in August. According to the national disaster management authority, more than 1,900 families have been affected since late last week, with over 240 homes damaged or destroyed. Roads, buildings, and bridges have been swept away by the relentless onslaught of extreme weather, leaving entire communities cut off and mourning the loss of loved ones.
The devastation has been particularly acute in the Annapurna region, a vital economic lifeline for Nepal and one of the world's most celebrated trekking destinations. Hundreds of hikers on the Annapurna Circuit have been forced to abandon their journeys and seek safety, with many airlifted out of the districts of Manang and Mustang. The circuit, which typically takes up to three weeks to complete, has become a scene of chaos and desperation as trekkers and their guides navigate collapsed roads, swept-away bridges, and treacherous mountain slopes.
Speaking from a damp, blue tent in Battar, a town north-west of Kathmandu, disaster survivor Buti Tamang described the profound loss his community has endured. "We used to live in a hut, but now there is nothing," he told BBC Nepali. "We have lost so many of our relatives." His words echo the grief of thousands across Nepal who have been displaced by the twin disasters of August's floods and the current wave of landslides, many of whom now face an uncertain future with nowhere to go.
Ramesh Ghale, another survivor who fled his home, spoke of the daily hardships facing those in temporary shelters. "Now it is raining and the tent leaks, so we've been facing a difficult situation," he said. "We have nowhere to go." The blue disaster-relief tents dotting muddy, forested hillsides have become a grim symbol of the crisis, offering only minimal protection against the elements as authorities struggle to reach affected areas and deliver adequate aid.
The ordeal faced by trekkers has been no less harrowing. Jake Stacy, a 21-year-old from Suffolk, England, found himself stranded with his guide in Yak Kharka, upper Manang, after heavy snowfall last week forced him to abandon his attempt to reach Thorang La pass, the highest point of the circuit. After finally returning to base camp in Pokhara on Tuesday night, he recounted the perilous journey back down the mountain. "We made our own paths on mountain slopes," he said. "It was quite steep and we were clambering because there was river below… It was very muddy and very wet." He noted that many trekkers were helicoptered out, underscoring the scale of the rescue operation underway.
Australian trekker Andrew Graham and his guide Prem KC described an even more grueling descent after deciding to turn back from Manang village. They were forced to cross more than 15 landslides, several of which Graham described as "quite dangerous," adding that "the residual risks have grown now." Their ordeal was compounded when they reached the village of Chame, which had been evacuated due to landslide risks, forcing them to spend a night in the jungle. A massive landslide has partially blocked a river passing through Chame, creating a temporary lake that has inundated houses and a key bridge. Despite authorities deploying excavators for the past three days in an attempt to release the water, locals told the BBC that their efforts have not been very successful.
Trekking guide Tse Ring Doma, who led a group that had to cross 28 separate landslides, said the psychological toll was far greater than the physical challenge. The fresh memory of last month's enormous disaster weighed heavily on her group. "Even thunder would make us run and come out to see if anything was coming our way," she said. Her client, Norwegian Ellen Wahlström, offered a sobering perspective on the disparity of suffering, noting that visitors were fortunate because they would only have to leave some of their items behind, while locals risked losing their houses and land entirely. She did acknowledge, however, that authorities had been clearing many of the landslides "surprisingly fast."
While road damage in Manang has been severe, with several bridges swept away and communications down in some areas, chief district officer Mukti Prasad Khanal confirmed that no one had been killed in the trekking region itself. However, the same cannot be said for other parts of the country. Four bodies have been recovered and 12 people remain missing after an avalanche near the base of Himlung Peak, close to the border with Tibet, highlighting the far-reaching and deadly consequences of the current weather system.
The economic implications of the disaster are significant. A representative of the local trekking authority, the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, revealed that some 700 trekkers were still waiting in Pokhara to embark on the Annapurna Circuit. "We have been holding back all these people who want to go to the Annapurna Circuit trek, although we are under pressure from the trekking industry to announce the route open," he said. The pressure to reopen reflects the delicate balance between safety concerns and the economic imperative of a region heavily dependent on tourism revenue.
The disruption has also affected religious pilgrims. Indian visitors who often travel to the ancient temple Muktinath on a Hindu pilgrimage have been asked to fly from Jomsom to Pokhara instead of driving, due to a cut-off road, according to the conservation project representative. The temple, one of the most sacred sites for Hindus, draws thousands of devotees annually, and the closure of overland routes presents both logistical and spiritual challenges for those seeking to complete their pilgrimage.
The scale of the current crisis is particularly alarming given that Nepal is still recovering from August's catastrophic flooding, which left 1,400 people dead and thousands more missing. The back-to-back disasters have stretched the country's emergency response capabilities to their limits and raised urgent questions about preparedness and resilience in a region increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events. Scientists have long warned that climate change is amplifying the frequency and intensity of such disasters in the Himalayas, where melting glaciers, unstable slopes, and changing precipitation patterns create a volatile mix.
Local officials and international aid organizations are racing to provide shelter, food, and medical assistance to the thousands of affected families, but challenging terrain and damaged infrastructure continue to hamper relief efforts. The emotional scars left by the twin disasters are likely to endure long after the rains subside, as communities that have lost homes, livelihoods, and loved ones face the daunting task of rebuilding from the rubble. For the hundreds of trekkers now safely back in Pokhara, the experience has been a stark reminder of nature's power—and a sobering lesson in the vulnerability of even the most well-trodden paths through the world's highest mountains.
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