Floods and Landslides Kill 192 People in Nepal
People collect their belongings after the flood disaster in Kathmandu, Nepal, Sept. 30, 2024. X/ @SuryaRAcharya
September 30, 2024 Hour: 9:17 am
So far 1,327 houses have been destroyed and different stretches of 19 major highways across Nepal damaged.
On Monday, Rishiram Tiwari, spokesperson for the Home Ministry, confirmed that the death toll from floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall in Nepal has risen further to 192.
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“Over 4,500 people affected have been rescued so far. The security forces are still continuing their rescue efforts,” he said, adding that the devastating disasters have also left 30 people missing and 194 others injured.
Noting that the injured are receiving free treatment, Tiwari said the government has expedited the distribution of relief materials, including food, to those displaced in the disasters sparked by continuous rains on Friday and Saturday.
So far 1,327 houses have been destroyed and different stretches of 19 major highways across Nepal damaged. Security forces have been mobilized to clear the blocked highways.
The Kathmandu Valley has been the most affected, with 73 reported fatalities. The floods have caused massive damage to infrastructure, such as homes and bridges, leaving thousands of people homeless. Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, has been one of the hardest-hit areas by the floods.
On Saturday, the highest level of rainfall in decades was recorded, causing rivers to overflow and entire neighborhoods to flood. Rescuers have recovered 35 bodies buried by landslides in the Jhyaple Khola area of Dhading, along the Prithvi Highway, which connects the Kathmandu Valley.
A low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal has caused prolonged rainfall this year. The monsoon, which typically begins in mid-June and ends in late September, will extend this year until the first week of October.
On Monday, the Nepalese government ordered the closure of schools across the country for at least three days. The disruption of transportation, damage to school buildings, and the severe impact on communities have forced the government to take this measure. The Kathmandu Valley recorded its highest level of rainfall since 1970 yesterday. Thousands of homes have been submerged, and authorities fear the death toll may continue to rise.
teleSUR/ JF Source: Xinhua – EFE
