3,296 disaster incidents claim 160 lives in last three months

KATHMANDU — At least 160 people were killed, two went missing, and 945 others sustained injuries across Nepal as 3,296 natural disaster incidents struck the country during the final three months of the last fiscal year, official data showed Friday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that the wave of disasters, spanning from April 14 to July 16, severely affected 4,375 families nationwide.

According to institutional details, fire accounted for the highest frequency of occurrences with 897 recorded incidents, resulting in 17 fatalities, 109 injuries, and the displacement of 990 families.

However, snakebites emerged as the deadliest threat during the three-month window, claiming 38 lives and injuring 479 individuals across 514 separate incidents.

The seasonal data further revealed high casualty rates from atmospheric and environmental hazards. Lightning strikes killed 24 people and injured 120 others across 223 incidents, while high-altitude sickness claimed 21 lives. A total of 477 windstorms killed 13 people and impacted 1,356 families, while 433 separate landslides left 12 dead.

Monsoon-driven floods and heavy rainfall collectively caused 13 deaths, with floods leaving an additional two individuals missing and affecting 396 families across 161 recorded incidents.

The remaining fatalities included 17 individuals killed in 181 wildlife attacks, two from falling stones, one in a wildfire, and one in an avalanche.