Heavy downpours have triggered landslides and flash floods across Nepal, resulting in at least 42 deaths and five people missing.
Parts of the country have been inundated since Friday, with disaster authorities issuing warnings for floods in multiple rivers.
"So far, 42 people have died in rain-triggered disasters and five are missing," Shanti Mahat, spokeswoman for Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, told AFP.
At least 37 fatalities occurred due to landslides in the eastern district of Illam.
"Heavy rains overnight caused the landslides," said local district official Sunita Nepal.
Roads remain blocked in affected areas, complicating access, and rescue workers are proceeding on foot to reach those in need.
Rivers in the capital Kathmandu have swelled, flooding settlements along their banks.
Security personnel have been deployed to support rescue operations using helicopters and motorboats.
Landslides have obstructed several highways and disrupted flight operations, stranding hundreds of travelers, many of whom were returning after celebrating the Hindu festival of Dashain.
Monsoon rains, typically occurring from June to September, cause widespread death and destruction annually across South Asia.
In recent years, the frequency and intensity of fatal floods and landslides have risen.
Experts attribute this escalation to climate change, which has altered the timing, schedule, and severity of these events.