2017 Nepal Floods - Live Blog

The updates should appear ABOVE this message. Please be patient. Previous updates below.

10:10 am, August 13, 2017: Video update from Janakpur. Ghanshyam Mishra on the ground with journalist Shailendra Mahato and youth activist Saroj Mishra via Facebook Live at 9:34 am today. (Video credit: Ghanshyam Mishra / Facebook)

9:50 am, August 13, 2017: Live update from Nepalgunj. Continuous rain since 1 am this morning has worsened the flood in Nepalgunj. 200 people were rescued from the affected areas in Rapti Sonari and Gangapur rural municipalities by army helicopters yesterday. Locals seem unable to volunteer for rescue efforts any more and require support from security forces. The incessant rain has also brought the Rapti river's surface dangerously close to the bridge.  (Based on reports by Alam Khan and Haroon Halwai from Nepalgunj.)

9:32 am, August 13, 2017: Several rainfall watch stations at "Above Warning Level":

Babai river at Chepang, Ranijaruwa, Tulsipur, Padampur, and Ambapur

West Rapti at Lamahi

Narayani at Rajaiya, Govindbasti, and Bankatta

8:50 am, August 13, 2017: Video of high currents in the Biring river near Budhabare, Jhapa, yesterday. (Video credit: Raj Varati / Facebook)

8:30 am, August 13, 2017:  Day 2 of our live blog on the 2017 Nepal Flood. Real-time update from Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. Babai river at Chepang and Bhada bridge, and Riukhola at Bankatta, "Above Danger Levels." See DHM's live river watch here.

10:40 pm, August 12, 2017: Schools in Saptari are to remain closed for four days from Sunday to Wednesday, where over 70 thousand people are estimated to have been affected by the floods.

10:10 pm, August 12, 2017: Flooding of the Gaagan river wreaked havoc in Aurahi, Siraha, earlier today, where hundreds of houses have been flooded. Photo and details by Santosh Kumar Yadav, a journalist based in Siraha.

10:10 pm, August 12, 2017: A satellite image of the cloud formation over Nepal at around 9:30 pm today. Department of Hydrology and Meteorology issues high alert in following districts: Bara, Parsa, Makwanpur, Chitwan, and Nawalparasi. Narayani river might rise beyond safe levels tomorrow morning. 

10:10 pm, August 12, 2017: A satellite image of the cloud formation over Nepal at around 9:30 pm today. Department of Hydrology and Meteorology issues high alert in following districts: Bara, Parsa, Makwanpur, Chitwan, and Nawalparasi. Narayani river might rise beyond safe levels tomorrow morning.

10:04 pm, August 12, 2017: Heavy rainfall around the country has obstructed the national electricity supply system. Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) reports that its affected infrastructures include the substation in Duhabi, Sunsari, and at least three transmission lines: Anarmani-Kaweli, Khimti-Dhalkebar, and Hetauda-Chandranigahapur-Dhalkebar.

9:46 pm, August 12, 2017: Earlier today, Nepal's Foreign Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara formally requested the Indian government, through the Indian Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri, to open the gates of all the dams along the Nepal-India border.

9:36 pm, August 12, 2017: Meteorological Forecasting Division reports that heavy downpours around the country will continue through Sunday, August 13. Mid- and mid-western Nepal will see comparatively higher rainfall than the eastern regions. Better weather is expected from Monday.

9:22 pm, August 12, 2017: The latest from Department of Hydrology and Meteorology's real-time river watch. Babai river at Chepang still "Above Warning Level."

9:14 pm, August 12, 2017: 37 gates of Koshi barrage, out of the total 56, been opened after it signaled a red-light alert. The water flow has crossed the 250 thousand cusec, indicating increased risk of flood. Water flow above the 300 thousand cusec limit means a full danger zone. According to Sunsari district's Assistant Chief District Officer Rajesh Giri, water levels are likely to increase as eastern hilly districts continue to see rainfall.

9:04 pm, August 12, 2017: Dr Govinda KC, now on the 20th day of his hunger strike demanding medical-education reforms, asks Nepal Medical Association to withdraw its protest. He has appealed all the country's medics to provide medical support to flood victims.

8:53 pm, August 12, 2017: Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) issues a high alert for areas near East Rapti and Madi, possibly affecting Makwanpur, Chitwan and Nawalparasi.

8:48 pm, August 12, 2017:  An update from Dang. Uday GM from the district reports that two people have been confirmed dead by the local police. 48-year-old Bhagwati Nepali was trying to save her goats when the sudden flood in Tuhi Khola swept her away. She lived in Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City. Another person was swept away in the same city by the Betani river. Two people were injured in Lamahi.

The roads from Ghorahi to Tulsipur and Ghorahi to Lamahi remained closed all day.

8:36 pm, August 12, 2017: At least 29 people have died so far due to floods and landslides triggered by the monsoon rains in different parts of the country in the past 24 hours. All three security forces in the country – police, armed police and the army – have been engaged in rescue operations. Here is the list of causalities by district so far.

Sunsari: 7
Jhapa: 4
Sindhuli: 4
Morang: 3
Banke: 3
Panchthar: 3
Bara: 1
Sarlahi: 1
Dang: 1
Palpa: 1
Bardiya: 1

Photo credit: Villagers wade through flood waters in Ramgadhwa area in Birgunj, Nepal, Sunday, August 13, 2017. From Manish Paudel, AP Photo.