KATHMANDU: At least 85 persons have been killed and 139 gone missing in the last three days in floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall in various districts across Nepal.
As many as 73 people have lost their lives in the mid-western region, while 131 are still missing. The number of missing might go up, officials said.
Floods have completely damaged more than 7,000 households in the mid-western region. More than 12,000 households have been inundated in Bardiya alone. The swollen Karnali River has swept away three suspension bridges, Himalayan Times reported.
Surkhet district has been hit the worst. About 26 people have been killed and 97 had gone missing in the district, according to the regional police office at Surkhet. Floods have killed 17 persons in Bardiya and 15 went missing. Likewise, 14 lost their lives in Dang and three went missing. In Banke district, floods have killed four and five have gone missing, Deputy Superintendent of Police Nareshman Shrestha said.
Likewise, four persons have lost their lives in the landslide in Salyan district, while eight are missing. Two have died in Jajarkot and two are missing.
“One person in Kalikot, four in Rolpa and three in Rukum have died. The death toll and the number of missing persons might go up,” said Shrestha.
About 300 families are trapped in forests and an island were rescued by helicopters, another official Tej Prasad Paudel said.
Seven persons died in seven districts, one is missing and five have been injured in the central region. According to central regional police, Hetauda, five persons and one died in Chitwan and Makawanpur respectively. Landslide has killed one in Sindhuli.
Regional police office said floods and landslides had damaged 115 households in Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Makawanpur, Mahottari and Sindhuli.
Three women were killed after a landslide buried a primary school building in Gorkha district of the western region.
Eleven persons were injured in the incident. Rain-fed rivers in the far west have killed one person and six have gone missing.
According to far-west regional office, one person died after a local stream swept him away in Kailali district. Three persons in Dadeldhura and one each in Kailali, Bajura and Bajhang have gone missing. Landslides in Ramechhap district rendered 53 families homeless. As many as 30 houses are at risk of being buried by landslip. India has announced a relief assistance of NRs 48 million for the victims of floods and landslide in different parts of Nepal.
India has also arranged three helicopters and one airplane on standby at the border for disaster relief operation on call by government of Nepal.(PTI)
