© ReutersSecurity force members use an inflatable raft to bring residents to safety from a flooded area near the bank of the overflowing Bagmati River following heavy rains, in Kathmandu, Nepal.
"So far, there are 59 dead, 36 wounded and 44 missing," Nepal police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki told AFP.
Earlier in the day, reports suggested that the majority of the fatalities occurred in the Kathmandu Valley, home to four million people and the nation's capital. In some areas of Kathmandu, up to 322.2 mm of rain fell in the past 24 hours, stranding residents on rooftops and elevated areas.
Rivers swelling up
Karki had previously said that rivers across Nepal have swollen, overflowing onto roads and bridges after a nearly week-long delay in the retreat of South Asia's annual monsoon rains, which have brought torrential downpours across the region.
The Koshi River has surged beyond dangerous levels, now flowing at 450,000 cusecs—well above the typical 150,000 cusecs, an official had reported. This river regularly causes deadly flooding in neighboring India's Bihar state.
Rescue efforts
Landslides have blocked highways in 28 locations, and police are working to clear debris and restore access, said police spokesperson.
Meanwhile, rescue teams are using helicopters and rubber boats to evacuate those trapped due to high water levels.
While international flights continue to operate, many domestic flights have been disrupted due to the weather, according to Rinji Sherpa, a spokesperson for Kathmandu's airport.
No relief anytime soon?
Binu Maharjan, a weather forecasting official in Kathmandu, said that the earliest letup in the rains might not come until Sunday (September 29). Maharjan blamed a low-pressure system over parts of India for this year's extended rains.
"Heavy rains are likely to continue until Sunday morning and weather is likely to clear after that," he told Reuters.
Nepal, prone to landslides and flash floods during the monsoon season, has already recorded 254 deaths and 65 missing persons due to floods, landslides, and lightning strikes since mid-June when the annual rains began.
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