Nepal: At least 14 children killed and schools closed after floods and landslides triggered by record breaking rain

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KATHMANDU, 30 September 2024: Floods and landslides caused by unprecedented rainfall in parts of Nepal have killed at least 14 children and closed schools, said Save the Children, as the changing climate further impacts children’s lives in Asia.

So far 200 people have been confirmed dead [1], with homes and livelihoods destroyed. Based on initial assessments, about 5,000 families have been affected by the floods and heavy rains, with at least 540 forced to leave their homes [2], but the final number is likely to be much higher. Rice fields have been submerged during the harvesting season ahead of winter – a crucial period for families who make their incomes from farming.   

At least 54 schools have been damaged, impacting 11,000 children.  All schools in areas affected by the floods are closed for three days with exams postponed nationwide, disrupting education for millions of children. 

The Kathmandu valley saw the highest ever recorded rainfall on 28 September, breaking the record set in 2002. One monitoring station reported nearly 240 mm of rain in just 24 hours [2]. 

Landslides and floods have blocked major roads and disrupted phone and power networks, hampering search and rescue efforts. More than 4,200 people [2] have been rescued but many families are still stranded without shelter, water or food. 

Asia is the world’s most disaster-hit region from weather, climate and water-related hazards [3]. This month, floods in Thailand and Vietnam damaged about 945 schools following Typhoon Yagi, the worst storm Asia has seen this year.

Save the Children is working with local partners in Nepal to provide life-saving assistance, including tarpaulins, blankets, water filters, mosquito nets and baby and hygiene kits in flood affected areas. The child rights organisation is continuing to carry out needs assessments in severely impacted districts and issuing early warning messages in landslide prone areas.  

Tara Chettry, Country Director, Save the Children in Nepal said: 

“Children in Nepal have been forced out of their homes and schools by extreme weather - their lives and education are being disrupted again and again by the impacts of climate change.

Every child has the right to learn, yet our changing climate is threatening children’s learning, health, wellbeing and safety. Compared with their grandparents, 4-year-olds will face 2.8 times more floods in their lifetimes [4]. 

Save the Children is working to create lasting change with and for children by supporting communities to strengthen their resilience to the climate crisis and is calling on world leaders to tackle its root causes.”

Save the Children has worked in Nepal since 1976. The child rights organisation runs programmes spanning child protection, child rights governance, education, climate change, gender equality, health and nutrition and child poverty. 

Notes to editors: 

[1] https://x.com/NepalPoliceHQ/status/1840697292938236130

[2]https://bipad.gov.np/np/1314

[3] https://wmo.int/publication-series/state-of-climate-asia-2023#:~:text=Asia%20remained%20the%20world's%20most,initiatives%20and%20inform%20decision%2Dmaking.

[4] https://www.savethechildren.net/born-climate-crisis

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