A cloudburst in Kanchanpur district on July 7 resulted in damages totaling Rs 1.57 billion, according to the District Administration Office, Kanchanpur. The severe flooding triggered by the cloudburst caused extensive damage to physical infrastructure, crops, industries, livestock, and other properties, the DAO added

Acting Chief District Officer Parshuram Pokharel reported that various offices in the district assessed the losses, which amounted to Rs 1.57 billion due to the flooding and inundation. The agriculture sector was hit the hardest, suffering losses exceeding Rs 654 million.

The Mahakali Irrigation Management Office reported damages worth Rs 292.2 million, while the Road Division Office estimated losses of almost Rs 40 million. The Infrastructure Development Office recorded Rs 72 million in damages. In addition to these, several other offices reported losses, and numerous private properties were destroyed in the flood.

Tragically, four people lost their lives in the disaster.

A study by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology described the event as a 'Terai Cloudburst,' attributing the intense rainfall to the convergence of monsoon systems in the upper, middle, and lower atmosphere, along with a low-pressure system developed by the Westerly wind. The extreme rainfall led to the inundation of plain lands in Kanchanpur, with swollen rivulets causing significant damages.

Approximately 85 square kilometers of agricultural land and around 14,000 physical structures were affected by the disaster. -- RSS