KATHMANDU: Although it has already been a week since this year's monsoon entered Nepal, the monsoon system is advancing at a slow pace. It could take around a week or more to reach nationwide, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said.    

Senior Meteorologist at the Department Prativa Manandhar said that currently the monsoon is active in the north and east parts of the Koshi Province adding that most of the districts in the province are receiving rainfall.    

According to Manandhar, it could take some more days for the monsoon to arrive in Kathmandu since the speed of the monsoon is very slow. "It is advancing towards the west but at a very slow pace," she added.    

She shared that it could take two to three days to arrive in Kathmandu and then five to seven days to reach Sudurpaschim Province.

This year, the monsoon entered Nepal from eastern Nepal’s Koshi Province on June 10, three days ahead of the expected date.

According to forecasts made by the division, the monsoon season this year is expected to bring 35 to 55 percent more rainfall than the average.

More than 1.8 million people are likely to be affected by the monsoon this year, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).    A situation might surface where 83,000 families would be directly affected and 18,000 households need to be rescued and provided with relief, NDRRMA said recently. -- RSS