Nepal flood victims start returning home despite grim conditions

As water levels start to recede, locals of the second largest metropolitan city have started returning home despite grim conditions following recent flooding.

They have already started repairing their houses and spreading their clothes, grains out in the sun, which is mostly hidden by the clouds.

"There are a lot of problems in the house. The house is partially damaged, it is all muddy and there is no place to sit or sleep inside. There is also no place for the buffalo either, nor fodder is available for it to eat. Some of the clothes that can be used have been kept out for drying," one of Biratnagar's flood victims, Lalita Kamat, told ANI.

As the flood hit the area, the residents fled their homes, taking shelter at houses belonging to their relatives and inside a nearby mango garden.

"The nearby temporary dam collapsed and the water-level started rising. We went to other people's house for two to four days and also stayed at a nearby garden," Kamat added while repairing her mud house which was partially destroyed by the flooding.

Incessant rainfall that triggered landslides and floods earlier this month has left at least 90 people dead while a search is on for 29 others, who are still missing.

The Nepal government has decided not to seek any foreign aid for the current disaster.

Though rainfall has stopped in many parts of the nation, the Meteorological Forecasting Division on Saturday has again predicted heavy rainfall.

They have said that while the southern part of the country is currently in a monsoon low-pressure belt, winds full of water vapour have entered Nepal from the Bay of Bengal. This phenomenon will cause mid to heavy rainfall in some parts of the nation.

This will also lead to general to partly weather change across the country. Similarly, some parts in the eastern and central belts of the country are also expected to see heavy rainfall on Sunday.

Flash floods are predicted in the small rivers of State 1, 2, 5 and Gandaki State, so the settlements near the river banks have been urged to remain alert on Monday.

The people have also been told by the meteorologists to remain aware of the possible threat of landslides and floods due to heavy rainfall in some parts of the country in the next 24 hours.