Cleanup operations are underway across eastern Nepal after torrential monsoon rains triggered floods and landslides that killed at least 52 people and left several others missing. Footage filmed on Sunday shows residents clearing mud and debris from streets and shops in Kathmandu, where vendors and shopkeepers worked to recover what was left of their stock after the waters receded. “The cash stored in the shops was not lost, but cleaning up is taking time, especially since we are celebrating a big festival, Dasara,” said a vendor. “When we heard that parts of Kathmandu were underwater, we rushed back to save our business. Unfortunately, we lost many of our goods.” In nearby markets, shop owners faced similar losses as the floodwaters destroyed perishable goods. “Our vegetable business is different from other businesses – if we can’t sell everything within a day, we face big losses,” remarked a shopkeeper, adding, “We still have to pay our taxes to the government, but the municipality has not helped us at all.” A vendor from another area shared, “Everything was destroyed. Our whole market was underwater until this morning. Now we’re trying to clean up what’s left. It’s heartbreaking – we’ve lost so much and don’t know how to start again.” Since early Saturday, heavy monsoon rains fuelled by moisture-laden winds from the Bay of Bengal have pounded large parts of Nepal, triggering widespread flooding and landslides. Koshi Province, which borders India, suffered the worst damage, with Ilam District alone reporting 37 of the 52 confirmed deaths.
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