Floods, landslides claim 30 lives in Nepal

At least 30 people have been killed in floods and landslides triggered by severe monsoon rains in Nepal.

Flooding and landslides have claimed seven lives in Sunsari, four each in Jhapa and Sindhuli, three each in Sarlahi, Morang and Banke, two each in Dang and Bara and one each in Makawanpur and Palpa in floods and landslides, Kathmandu Post reported.

The Ministry of Home Affairs, however, put the number of casualties at 17.

The District Natural Disaster Rescue Committee in its emergency meeting estimated that around 50,000 people have been hugely affected as floodwaters destroyed foodstuff and other belongings.

Around 2,000 families have been trapped in floodwaters at Sakarpura, Banarjhula, Barsain, Tiluliya and Kusaha since Saturday morning.

Thousands of houses have been inundated. Dozens of settlements including Tilathi, Sakarapura, Malhaniya, Kusaha, Banarjhula and Rajbiraj have been hit hard.

The western embankment of the Koshi river was under threat of being swept away, the report quoted Saptari Chief District Officer Krishna Bahadur Katuwal as saying.

Various districts are still at flooding and landslide risk as the weather office has forecast rains for the next 24 hours.

--IANS

amit/rn