Nepal: Death, from flood, landslides reach 69

Kathmandu, July 30: At least 69 people have died in the flood and landslides across Nepal due to the incessant rainfall for the past few days, officials said.

According to the Home Ministry, most of the people died in eastern Nepal and central and western hilly region. Some of the areas in the Terai bordering India have been flooded while there are reports of landslides in the hilly areas.

The government has decided to send medical team to the flood affected areas to help prevent possible outbreak of epidemics, Pratap Kumar Pathak, chief of Natural Disaster Relief Section at the Home Ministry was quoted as saying.

The government will also provide Rs 25,000 to each family of the deceased and delegate more authority to all district-level Disaster Relief Committees, he said.

Almost 86,000 people of 16,000 households have been directly affected by the natural calamity and the number was likely to increase, the Home Ministry said.

At the request of the Ministry, an UNMIN helicopter is being utilised to reach rescue and relief assistance in the Nepalgunj area.

The Ministry thanked all the individuals, organisations and bodies involved directly and indirectly in the rescue and relief works and hoped for similar cooperation in the coming days.

The Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) has also launched relief and rescue operation for more than 1,500 affecated people in various parts of the country.

Non food items for 1,500 families have been sent to Siraha, Saptari, Bara, Parsa and Dhanusha districts from the Regional Depot, Biratnagar.

Large number of people are affected by floods and landslides in Nepal during the rainy season every year.

UNI