Nepal thunderstorm: 27 killed, hundreds injured after rare spring storm hits southern regions

At least 27 people have died and more than 400 have been injured after stormy weather hit southern Nepal, destroying houses, uprooting trees and toppling electricity poles. Over 100 army personnel have been deployed in the affected areas and rescue operations are underway, reports said. The thunderstorm swept through the district of Bara and adjoining areas late on Sunday, Bara’s police chief Sanu Ram Bhattarai told AFP.

“Search and rescue workers have been deployed,” Bhattarai said, warning that the toll may rise, with information about the disaster still coming in. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli expressed his condolences in a tweet on Sunda and had said that as well as the 25 killed, around 400 were injured. “Helicopters are on standby for necessary rescue and relief tomorrow morning,” Oli said. Storms causing such high casualties in spring are rare in Nepal.