KATHMANDU, August 7: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has released a study report on the extreme rainfall recorded in Kanchanpur on July 7, identifying the event as a 'Terai Cloudburst.'

The department conducted field visits to Dodhara, Hanumannagar, and Sundarpur to inspect the automated rainfall measurement instruments installed there. The data from Sundarpur indicated discrepancies from the department's standards, necessitating further assessment.

Hanumannagar experienced 102 mm of rainfall in just one hour from 10:05 pm to 11:05 pm on July 7. Over a 24-hour period from 8:45 am on July 7 to 8:45 am on July 8, Hanumannagar received 573.6 mm of rainfall, Sundarpur 556.4 mm, and Dodhara 624 mm.

According to the department’s spokesperson Sunil Pokhrel, the intense downpour was caused by a combination of monsoon activity in the upper, middle, and lower atmosphere, along with a low-pressure system in the Westerly wind.

The extreme rainfall inundated the plains of Kanchanpur, causing various rivulets to overflow and leading to significant damage. Analyzing a satellite photo taken at 6:15 am on July 9, around 98 square kilometers (about six percent of the total area) of Kanchanpur was submerged, including approximately 85 square kilometers of agricultural land and about 14,000 physical structures.

Reports from interactions and other sources during the onsite visit indicated relatively less damage than expected, given the highest rainfall ever recorded in Nepal.

The report concluded that timely dissemination of special bulletins, impact-based meteorological forecasting, mass SMS services, and sufficient preparedness and response, including effective search and rescue operations, played a major role in minimizing damages.

The report recommended increased investment in weather forecasting and preparedness to reduce disaster risk, as monsoon-related incidents are likely to increase due to climate change. -- RSS