The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal has announced the cancellation of all domestic flights until Saturday morning in response to adverse weather conditions affecting the nation.

On Friday alone, an estimated 75 percent of domestic flights were canceled, as incessant rainfall in Kathmandu continued for over 24 hours. Nepal typically operates around 300 two-way domestic flights daily.

Currently, the country is experiencing the impact of monsoon winds, with moisture from the Bay of Bengal and a low-pressure system driving widespread rainfall. The Meteorological Office has forecast heavy isolated rainfall in parts of Bagmati, Gandaki, and Lumbini provinces on Friday night. Light to moderate rainfall is expected in most areas of Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, and Sudurpaschim provinces, with some regions also seeing thundershowers.

Nepal’s monsoon season usually starts on June 13 and typically lasts for 105 days. This year, the monsoon arrived earlier, entering the country from the western region on June 10, three days ahead of schedule. The end of the monsoon, which was originally set for September 23, has been extended to October 2.

This season, Nepal has already recorded above-average rainfall, with the monsoon set to last five days longer than usual, as predicted by meteorologists. The monsoon typically delivers around 80 percent of the country’s annual rainfall.

(ANI)