KATHMANDU, Oct 28: Less than a month after devastating floods and landslides in early October claimed at least 50 lives — mostly in eastern Nepal — meteorologists have warned that heavy rainfall is expected from Thursday.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclonic storm Cyclone Montha in the Bay of Bengal is forecast to make landfall on the coast of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday.
Govt bodies issue warnings as Cyclone Montha expected to affect...
Meteorologists at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DoHM) say that the effects of Cyclone Montha are likely to begin entering eastern Nepal by Thursday noon. Deputy Director-General Suman Kumar Regmi said that eastern districts should prepare for intense rainfall from Thursday afternoon.
In addition, a low-pressure system in the Arabian Sea has entered Nepal from the west, and combined with the incoming moisture from Cyclone Montha and a cold air mass moving inward, the stage is set for heavy rain in eastern Nepal — and light to heavy rain in western Nepal from Tuesday.
Meteorological expert Madan Lal Shrestha warned that if Montha tracks northwards after landfall, the impact on Nepal could be more serious. “However, if its direction shifts towards the north-east, the impact may be less severe,” said Shrestha, adding that the storm’s intensity will decline once it crosses land, giving some time for precautionary action.
Although the average withdrawal of the monsoon occurs on about October 2, this post monsoon rainfall may disrupt life in several ways: the paddy harvest could suffer as farmers are busy with ripe fields, and travel by air and land may become hazardous — especially in eastern Nepal. Snowfall is also forecast in high-hills and Himalayan areas such as the Annapurna Circuit, the Manaslu region and the Langtang range from Tuesday to Saturday, prompting authorities to advise trekkers to postpone their treks.
DoHM’s Weather Forecasting Division issued a special bulletin on Monday forecasting rain and snowfall in parts of western Nepal from Monday night to Wednesday morning. Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions during the upcoming rainfall.
