Death rate from flooding, landslides in Nepal rises to 193
Date
9/30/2024 8:34:53 AM
(MENAFN) The death toll from flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in Nepal over the weekend has risen to 193, as recovery and rescue efforts intensified on Monday. Many casualties were reported in the capital city, Kathmandu, which experienced significant rainfall that caused widespread flooding, particularly in its southern areas. According to police, 31 individuals remain missing, and 96 others have sustained injuries across the Himalayan nation. The situation has been dire, with a landslide resulting in the deaths of three dozen people on a blocked highway about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Kathmandu. This landslide buried at least three buses and other vehicles, where victims were sleeping due to the highway being impassable.
Throughout the weekend, Kathmandu was effectively cut off from the surrounding regions as all three highways leading out of the city were blocked by landslides. Workers managed to temporarily clear the key Prithvi highway by removing rocks, mud, and trees that had washed down from the mountains, facilitating some movement. In response to the disaster, the home minister announced plans to construct temporary shelters for those who lost their homes, and monetary assistance will be provided to the families of the deceased as well as to the injured.
Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, who was returning home from the UN General Assembly meeting, has convened an emergency meeting to address the crisis. Improved weather conditions have enabled rescue and recovery operations to gain momentum. Residents in southern Kathmandu, which experienced severe flooding on Saturday, have begun cleaning up their homes as water levels recede. The area was reported as the hardest hit, with at least 34 fatalities recorded.
In light of the ongoing situation, the government has decided to close schools and colleges across Nepal for the next three days. The monsoon season, which commenced in June, typically concludes by mid-September. Meanwhile, in northern Bangladesh, around 60,000 individuals have been affected by flooding in low-lying areas due to continuous rains and rising water levels from upstream India.
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