Monday, September 30

151 people are dead and at least 56 others are missing after days of heavy rain across Nepal, and that number is expected to rise in the coming days.

Over a foot of rain fell in some areas around the country, and Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal was particularly hard-hit. The heavy rain sparked dangerous landslides in multiple towns, including one that killed over 35 people after it wiped out numerous vehicles and another at a sports training center that killed six soccer players.

A large portion of Kathmandu, along with many other populated regions of Nepal, is haphazardly constructed between the steep mountains of the Himalayas. This causes stormwater to drain into the valleys between the mountains, which is where towns are located. Due to Kathmandu's poor water management system, large amounts of water quickly pile up in low-lying areas around the city. One house in the town of Bhaktapur, located east of Kathmandu, collapsed completely, killing five people. The Bagmati River, which also flows straight through the center of Kathmandu, reached levels several feet above normal, flooding homes and businesses around it. Many citizens have lost their homes, personal belongings, cars, and even family members.

Thankfully, the heavy rain is coming to an end, but it will take some time for water levels to completely recede. Crews are still working to save citizens who have been trapped in their homes or carried away by the raging currents-- over 3,600 people have been rescued over the past few days. At least 10,000 police officers have joined the rescue efforts, along with locals and soldiers in the army. Sadly, a large number of people are still missing, and officials expect death tolls to rise in the coming days.

Hundreds of people are killed each year by torrential rains in the region, but rapid urbanization and haphazard construction are leading to more poorly built homes and drainage systems that exacerbate the effects of heavy rain. Unfortunately, climate change will only make those rains more frequent and more intense, as weather patterns are substantially affected by changing temperatures.

Upcoming Events this week:

• International Translation Day (Monday, September 30)

• International Day of Older Persons (Tuesday, October 1)

• International Day of Non-Violence (Wednesday, October 2)

• Rosh Hashanah Begins (Wednesday, October 2)

• ICC Women's T20 World Cup Begins (Thursday, October 3)

• World Space Week Begins (Friday, October 4)

• Rosh Hashanah Ends (Friday, October 4)

• World Teachers' Day (Saturday, October 5)

• Rugby League Finals (Sunday, October 6)

Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): While the Mississippi River is well-known, the Missouri River is actually longer than the Mississippi. In fact, since the Missouri River was discovered later, it is considered a tributary of the Mississippi even though it is longer.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Anger, resentment and jealousy doesn’t change the heart of others-- it only changes yours. (Shannon L. Alder)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Feckless (adj)- Feckless describes people or things that are weak or ineffective.

In a Sentence: The agency’s response to the dramatic increase in air pollution was well-intentioned but ultimately feckless.