Indian teams ready to help flood-hit Nepal

India has kept ready teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) for rescue operations in Nepal where floods triggered by torrential rains have left at least 58 people dead, an official statement said Saturday.

The release said the National Crisis Management Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth met and took stock of the preparedness in the wake of floods in Nepal.

"NDRF teams have been kept ready for rescue operations in Nepal, if required. Three helicopters have been kept on standby at Gorakhpur for this purpose," it said.

Landslides and floods in the last four days have left 58 people dead in the Himalayan nation, while more than 150 are missing.

According to Nepal's home ministry, over 3,500 people have been evacuated to safer areas.

The release said the flood situation in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and recent heavy rains and cloudburst in Uttarakhand were also reviewed with the state governments.

More than 20 people have died as heavy rain wreaked havoc in the hill states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday expressed grief over the deaths caused by heavy rain in Uttarakhand.

The release said the Rapti river in Balrampur district of Uttar Pradesh was flowing in a "high flood situation".