About 30 people have been killed in Nepal after another wave of heavy rain and landslides hit the Himalayan country, weeks after catastrophic flooding killed about 1,400 people and left thousands missing.
Nepal’s National Disaster Management Authority says more than 1,900 families have been affected since late last week, while more than 240 homes have been damaged.
Several roads, bridges and buildings have also been swept away, leaving communities struggling to recover from the earlier disaster.
The latest weather has also disrupted tourism, a major source of income for Nepal, with hundreds of trekkers forced to abandon their journeys along the popular Annapurna Circuit.
Many trekkers have been evacuated by helicopter from the Manang and Mustang districts, while others have spent days making difficult journeys through areas affected by landslides, damaged roads and washed-away bridges.
A 21-year-old British trekker, Jake Stacy, told the BBC that he and his guide had to create their own paths along mountain slopes after heavy snowfall stranded them in the Manang district.
He said the route was steep, muddy and dangerous, with a river running below.
Australian trekker Andrew Graham and his guide, Prem KC, said they crossed more than 15 landslides after deciding to turn back from Manang village.
The pair became stranded in Chame, a village that had been evacuated because of the risk of further landslides, and spent a night in a forest.
A major landslide has also partially blocked a river near Chame, creating a temporary lake that has flooded homes and a key bridge.
Authorities have been using excavators to try to release the trapped water, but efforts have so far had limited success, according to local residents.
Another trekking guide, Tse Ring Doma, said she and her group crossed 28 landslides while trying to return to safety.
She said the psychological impact was particularly difficult because of memories of the deadly flooding in August.
In Battar, northwest of the capital Kathmandu, some displaced residents are now living in emergency tents.
One resident, Buti Tamang, told BBC Nepali that her family had lost relatives and their home.
Another resident, Ramesh Ghale, said rain was entering their tent and that they had nowhere else to go.
Authorities say four bodies have also been recovered while 12 people remain missing after an avalanche near the base of Himlung Peak, close to the border with Tibet.
Meanwhile, about 700 trekkers remain in the city of Pokhara, waiting for authorities to decide whether it is safe to begin the Annapurna Circuit.
Officials have so far held back the trekkers because of the damaged roads and continuing landslide risks, despite pressure from tourism operators to reopen the route.
The latest disaster has added to the challenges facing Nepal as communities continue to recover from the severe flooding and landslides that hit the country in August.
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