Powerful thunderstorms kill dozens, injure more than 600 in Nepal
A woman sits in the middle of the debris of a residential house damaged in rainstorm in Bara district, 125 kilometers (75 miles) south of Kathmandu, Nepal, Monday, April 1, 2019. Rescuers struggled to reach villages in southern Nepal cut off by a powerful storm that killed dozens and injured hundreds more. (AP Photo/Niranjan Shrestha)
Severe thunderstorms ripped through parts of Nepal on Sunday, causing widespread damage and killing at least 31 people, the Kathmandu Post reported.
More than 600 other people were injured by the violent storms, according to The Associated Press.
Although infrequent, severe thunderstorms can occur in Nepal during March and April as heat builds northward from India and storm systems track into the region from the Middle East.
Just across the border in India, temperatures soared to 38 C (100 F) in Lucknow and Patna on Sunday, setting the stage for the storms to develop.
People were caught off guard as the storms quickly swept into Bara and Parsa districts Sunday afternoon.
Satellite image showing the deadly thunderstorms moving across central Nepal on Sunday, March 31 2019.
Powerful winds knocked down trees and power poles, destroyed homes and overturned automobiles.
Thousands of people have been left homeless as the ferocious winds tore off roofs and toppled walls off homes.
Rescue workers struggled to reach some areas due to the high number of downed trees blocking roadways.
On Tuesday, government workers and volunteers distributed aid to areas hit hardest by Sunday's storms.
Soldiers were dispatched to help dig through debris to look for additional victims and help victims of the storm salvage their belongings.
Largely dry weather is expected across the region the next several days with a daily high near 32 C (90 F). Overnight lows of 18-20 C (64-68 F) are forecast.
Another round of stormy weather is possible across Nepal from Friday into the weekend.
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