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The weather today will be generally cloudy throughout the country today, with a possibility of moderate rainfall with thunder and lightning at some places in the hilly areas of the country and at a few places in the Tarai. 

According to the Weather Forecasting Division, there is also a possibility of heavy rainfall at one or two places in the hilly areas of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces. There is also a possibility of windstorms in the Tarai region of Madhesh and Lumbini Provinces.

Later tonight, the weather will continue to remain generally cloudy throughout the country. There is a possibility of moderate rainfall with thunder and lightning at some places in the hilly areas of the country including Koshi and Sudurpaschim Provinces and at a few places in the remaining plains. 

There is also a possibility of heavy rainfall at one or two places in the hilly areas of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces.

The much-delayed Narayanghat–Butwal road expansion project has requested a fourth and final deadline extension, after failing to complete construction within the previously extended deadline of July 23. Despite nearly six years since the contract signing, physical progress remains around 70 percent, prompting concerns over project management and inter-agency coordination.

The project has submitted a request to the Department of Roads to extend the deadline by another year, with the aim of inaugurating the upgraded road by March 2026. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has stated it sees no alternative but to continue with the current Chinese contractor, though officials insist that this will be the final extension and that the contractor must complete the work within the new deadline.

Initially awarded in Dec 2018, the road’s first scheduled completion date was Aug 2022. The project faced numerous setbacks, including the Covid-19 pandemic, delays in tree clearance, utility pole relocation, and institutional instability. Former Secretary Arjun Jung Thapa noted that nearly two years were lost just navigating delays in tree-cutting permissions. An initial Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) underestimated the number of trees by over 40,000—prompting a re-evaluation that stalled work further.

Additionally, electrical pole relocation and changes in political leadership and bureaucracy contributed to the prolonged delays.

Of the 113 kilometers of the road under construction, 60 km of four-lane paving and 33.5 km of two-lane blacktopping have been completed. The project saw a notable acceleration in 2023/24, completing 30 km of four-lane and 17.5 km of two-lane paving in that year alone.

The project is divided into two sections: Western Section: Butwal to Daunne (48 km) and Eastern Section: Daunne to Narayanghat (65 km).

According to Asian Development Bank (ADB) Project Director Chudamani Dhakal, the primary paving will be completed by March 2026, with ancillary works to finish by July 2026). Traffic flow has improved in most areas, except for Daunne, where travelers continue to face extreme hardship due to difficult terrain and construction bottlenecks.

The 13-kilometer stretch through Daunne remains the most challenging part of the project. Located in a fragile Chure region with steep gradients and narrow paths, this segment has posed engineering, geological, and traffic management hurdles. Officials say the need for deep cuts, the presence of massive boulders, and the lack of space for machinery and material storage have severely hampered progress.

With no alternative routes, both construction and traffic must coexist—leading to slower work and persistent public suffering. Although options such as a tunnel or bypass were considered, cost, environmental, and time constraints have so far ruled them out.

To minimize ecological impact, the project includes 43 culverts, two monkey crossings, and 27 ponds. Rope bridges and elevated structures have been installed to facilitate animal movement. The project also donated two vehicles to the District Forest Office in Nawalparasi and plans training programs for speed regulation in protected areas.

In the Eastern Section, which spans 65 kilometers, progress has been steady. About 56.6 kilometers of one-sided paving have been completed, along with two kilometers of bridge segments. Out of the 35 planned bridges, including the prominent Narayani Bridge, 31 have been completed, while two are still under construction. However, 6.4 kilometers remain unpaved, mostly in the Daunne area and near marketplace sections.

Meanwhile, the Western Section, covering 48 kilometers, has achieved 69 percent physical progress and 64 percent financial progress. So far, 62 percent of the paving work has been completed. Of the nine bridges planned in this section, eight have been finished, with construction still ongoing at the Rohini River bridge.

The project regained momentum after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli intervened in April 2024. During an inspection of the Gaindakot section, he instructed authorities to expedite the project and issued a clear warning that contracts would be revoked if work did not commence by Nov 2024. Following his involvement and subsequent diplomatic efforts with the Chinese government, the project began moving forward again.

Authorities argue that cancelling the contract would only delay the project further. Hence, the decision to continue with the same contractor was made, while maintaining pressure for timely completion.

The project is being implemented with Asian Development Bank funding, with 83 percent of the cost covered by loans and 17 percent by the Nepal government. Initially estimated at Rs 21.75bn, the project was awarded at approximately Rs 17bn.

An emergency cabinet meeting held on Wednesday declared Madhes province a disaster crisis zone, following an unprecedented drought that has gripped the nation's agricultural heartland. The unusual lack of rainfall during mid-monsoon in the southern plains has pushed the region into crisis.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli informed parliament that the cabinet had taken the decision in response to the worsening situation in the Terai region. “A cabinet meeting today declared Madhesh Province a disaster crisis zone. This means funds designated for disaster response can now be mobilized urgently,” Oli said.

The decision was made based on a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The drought has affected all eight districts along Nepal’s fertile Terai belt. “The groundwater level is receding. Hand-pumps and wells have dried up. There is an acute shortage of drinking water—even water for cleaning is unavailable. In light of this situation, the government has held high-level discussions and deployed teams to address the crisis,” Oli added.

The declaration was made under Section 32, Subsection 1 of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 2017, which authorizes the government to designate any area as a disaster-threatened zone via a notice in the Nepal Gazette.

A prolonged dry spell during the peak monsoon season has brought much of the Tarai region to the brink of an agricultural disaster. Farmers have been unable to transplant paddy due to severe water shortages. Seedbeds have dried up, and paddy saplings are withering, raising fears of an impending food crisis in Nepal’s primary rice-producing zone.

A few days prior, the Madhes provincial government had also declared the province a drought-hit zone. Though fire trucks and water tankers were mobilized to distribute drinking water, these efforts fell short of addressing the region’s irrigation needs. The lack of water during the crucial monsoon period poses a major threat not only to farmers’ livelihoods but also to the national economy.

Madhes Province, known as the breadbasket of Nepal, still depends heavily on rainwater for farming. According to the Nepal Rastra Bank’s 2024 report on the Economic Status of Madhes Province, any rise in the province’s GDP would be driven by agricultural growth. The report projected Madhes’s GDP at Rs 707bn, accounting for 13.13 percent of the national GDP (Rs 5.381trn). Agriculture alone contributes 35.2 percent of the province’s GDP, with major outputs including food grains, vegetables, fruits, and spices.

But this year’s dry and arid monsoon has heightened worries among farmers, who now fear for their future. Meanwhile, across Nepal, monsoon-related disasters have already claimed nearly two dozen lives due to landslides and floods. Several others remain injured or missing. Infrastructure and properties worth billions of rupees have been destroyed.

In the mountainous regions, erratic rainfall patterns mean even short bursts of rain trigger flash floods. Glacial and supraglacial lakes, swollen due to rising temperatures and melting ice, pose constant threats. In one such incident, a previously unnoticed supraglacial lake in Tibet above Rasuwagadhi burst, triggering floods in Bhotekoshi that killed at least 11 people, with 17 still missing.

Studies show Nepal is experiencing changes in temperature and precipitation at a rate faster than the global average. The country’s maximum temperature is rising by 0.05°C per year, while the minimum temperature increases by 0.03°C annually.

Ironically, the current drought in Madhes comes despite predictions of above-normal rainfall this monsoon. Nepal annually suffers monsoon-related disasters like floods, landslides, and inundation, causing extensive loss of life and property. Last year, continuous rainfall over just three days resulted in around 200 deaths and massive damage across the country.

As Nepal braces for heavier-than-average rains this year, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has projected that nearly 2m people from over 457,000 households could be affected by monsoon-related disasters. According to NDRRMA projections, Lumbini Province is expected to be the worst-hit, with 523,656 people from 119,830 households at risk. 

This is followed by Bagmati, where 327,376 people from 74,914 households are projected to be affected. In Gandaki, 287,107 people from 65,699 households could face monsoon-related disasters. Koshi is expected to see 275,867 people from 63,127 households impacted, while in Madhes, 228,687 people from 52,331 households are at risk. Similarly, Sudurpaschim may see 227,730 people from 52,112 households affected, and Karnali is projected to have 127,308 people from 29,132 households at risk. 

The Morimla border checkpoint between Nepal and China will be opened for trade and business in Upper Dolpa from August 10. 

Pemma Wangchen Gurung, Vice Chair of Shey-Phoksundo Rural Municipality, informed that a decision has been made to open the border area from August 10-29 following discussions with officials from Dongba Province under China’s Shigatse County. 

The Morimla border has been opened once a year for the three municipalities in Upper Dolpa. This year, 2,200 people received border entry passes to conduct trade across the border, informed Damodar Gyawali, the Assistant Chief District Officer. 

According to the municipality's request, Armed Police and Nepal Police will be deployed up to the border during the period. 

Last year, the border was open for 15 days. Residents of Upper Dolpa have been purchasing daily consumables, clothing, and various machinery materials through the Morimla border. 

Due to the remote geography of Upper Dolpa, the transportation costs for Nepali goods are high, so locals have been buying Chinese goods here at cheaper prices.