Severe rain in Nepal triggered landslides that killed at least 30 people close to Nepal's most popular hiking circuit, officials said Thursday.
These landslides swept through Pokhara, a resort town 77 miles west of Kathmundu, occurred shortly after midnight, according to Reuters.
At least 17 people are still missing, and officials believe the death toll will rise. Many houses were left demolished in the wake of this horrific event, The New York Times reported.
In Lumle, a village nine miles from the start of the Annapurna Circuit hiking route, half the homes that once stood are now either buried under mud or completely destroyed, according to the BBC News.
"I heard a big demonic sound, I thought it was an earthquake," said Kabi Ram B.K., a 64-year-old farmer, whose family was killed in the recent landslide.
The landslide is being described by Ranjan Kumar Dahal, an engineering geologist at Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, as a "wake up call" for the government. Many believe that the government should be doing more to protect the people of Nepal, such as setting up security measures and installing an early warning system considering the frequency of these destructive events, according to the New York Times.
Landslides aren't uncommon in Nepal, with monsoon rains often being the cause, BBC News reported. However, two major earthquakes that took place this year have heightened the risk.
Crews are still searching for survivors, though rain continues to disrupt rescue efforts.
