Kathmandu, July 31, 2025
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has released a sobering 60-day monsoon status report, revealing that Nepal has received below-average rainfall across all provinces, with Madhesh Province emerging as the hardest-hit region due to an intensifying water crisis.
This year’s monsoon entered Nepal on May 28 (Jestha 15), taking nearly three weeks to spread nationwide. While it showed initial activity, the monsoon weakened shortly after becoming widespread. According to NDRRMA spokesperson Shanti Mahat, except for brief activity in the second week of Ashadh, the monsoon has remained largely inactive, resulting in insufficient rainfall.
Severe Impact on Agriculture and Livelihoods
The most serious consequences are being felt in the Terai plains, especially in Madhesh, where paddy plantation and crop cultivation have been severely disrupted. With key sources of drinking water and irrigation drying up, the Madhesh Provincial Government declared the province drought-affected on Ashadh 26, followed by the Federal Government declaring it a disaster crisis area on Shrawan 7.
Experts warn that the agricultural cycle could be gravely impacted, affecting food security and income sources for thousands of farmers.
Monsoon-Related Disasters: 43 Lives Lost
Despite the low rainfall, monsoon-induced disasters have taken a toll. As per NDRRMA data, 43 people have lost their lives due to floods, landslides, and lightning strikes during the current monsoon period. The most tragic incident occurred on Ashadh 24, when a sudden nighttime flood in Rasuwa’s Bhotekoshi River claimed multiple lives and left 20 people missing.
So far, 12 bodies or body parts have been recovered, but only two have been identified. Two of the missing individuals have reestablished contact, and a couple stranded in Nuwakot’s Bidur Municipality-8 were rescued via helicopter.
Urgent Call for Coordinated Relief Efforts
In response to the unfolding crisis, NDRRMA has urged United Nations agencies, national and international NGOs, and the Red Cross to revise their emergency and development programs and focus relief efforts on Madhesh Province.
The Authority also highlighted that the three tiers of government-federal, provincial, and local-are collaborating with development partners to explore long-term solutions, including enhancing drinking water and irrigation systems to build climate resilience.
Climate Uncertainty Looms Large
This year’s erratic monsoon adds to the growing concerns over climate-induced weather variability in Nepal. With shifting rainfall patterns and increasing frequency of extreme events, experts stress the need for strategic adaptation measures, improved early warning systems, and community-based resilience programs-especially in climate-vulnerable regions like the Terai.
