Nepal floods death toll touches 28, 16 still missing
Among the victims were three people from the same family who were killed when the wall of a house collapsed in Kathmandu, while three others were killed in a landslide in Khotang district in the east.
Published: 13th July 2019 10:29 AM | Last Updated: 13th July 2019 04:25 PM | A+A A-
For representational purposes (File Photo| EPS)
KATHMANDU: The death toll from the Nepal floods caused by the monsoon rains on Saturday reached 28 with over 16 persons still missing, officials said.
Heavy monsoon rains for the past few days have left many settlements at high risk of floods and landslides in several places in Nepal.
Transportation has also been disrupted in all major highways.
Rain-fed rivers have also started to erode embankments putting nearby settlements at high risk of flooding.
"The rain-triggered disasters have caused havoc across the country killing at least 28 persons," the Nepal Police said in its news bulletin.
At least 10 persons sustained injuries and 16 others went missing in various landslide and flood incidents in the country since Friday, while a total of 50 persons were rescued, the bulletin said.
Mainly provinces 1 and 2 have been affected due to the landslides and the heavy downpour.
Deaths were reported from various districts, including Lalitpur, Kavre, Kotang, Bhojpur, Makanpur among others.
Meanwhile, human resources and equipment from police offices have been mobilised in the areas affected by rain-triggered disasters.
"The works related to rescue operation have been intensified," a senior Home Ministry official said.
It is estimated that around 6,000 people have been badly affected by floodwaters that inundated their houses.
People are obliged to stay in community buildings to save their life, My Republica reported.
Over 200 places across the country have been identified as susceptible to monsoon-induced disasters, while teams were on hand to distribute relief and conduct search and rescue operations, Bed Nidhi Khanal, chief of the Nepal Emergency Operation Center, told Efe news.
Parts of the capital Kathmandu have been left submerged under floodwaters.
Archana Shrestha, spokesperson for the department of hydrology and meteorology, told Efe there was a chance of heavy rainfall across the country until Sunday.
Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli has expressed his condolences to the bereaved families who lost their loved ones in the flooding and landslides triggered by the incessant rainfall.
"I offer deep condolences to the families who lost their members in the disaster," Oli tweeted.
(With inputs from IANS)
