(MENAFN) At least 44 people have died in Nepal following relentless monsoon rains that triggered flash floods and landslides across the country over the past 48 hours, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

The worst devastation has been reported in the eastern district of Ilam, where landslides claimed 37 lives. Rescue teams continue to search for five missing individuals, while 20 people have been injured in the disaster.

Emergency responders, including army troops, have been deployed to conduct operations across 28 affected locations, the agency said Sunday.

Since Friday, heavy rainfall has battered much of Nepal, severely impacting daily life and cutting off critical infrastructure. Flooding and landslides have blocked major highways and rural roads, stranding residents and delaying aid.

On Saturday, authorities imposed a three-day ban on all vehicle movement into and out of the Kathmandu Valley to mitigate further risks and aid relief efforts.

Meanwhile, across the border in India’s West Bengal state, the situation has also turned deadly. Local officials confirmed that torrential rains and subsequent landslides have killed at least seven people.

Abhishek Ray, a senior police officer in Darjeeling district, reported that authorities have recovered seven bodies in the aftermath of the intense rainfall.

Indian parliamentarian Raju Bista noted on the US-based social media platform X that the heavy downpours had caused extensive damage across the region.

Search and relief operations are ongoing in both countries as authorities brace for continued rainfall in the coming days.

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