Heavy rains in Nepal have caused landslides and floods that have killed at least 66 lives and injured over 60 more.
Dil Kumar Tamang, a spokesman for the Nepalese home ministry, told Reuters that there could be more deaths than confirmed, as there have been 60 injuries and 69 reported missing since Friday morning. 34 of the 66 fatalities occurred in the Kathmandu valley, which is home to 4 million people, according to Nepal Police deputy spokesperson Bishwo Adhikari, who spoke with PTI.
Highways have been stopped in sixty-three spots throughout the Himalayan nation, according to a Nepal Police officer. The majority of the rivers in the country of the Himalayas have risen, overflowing over bridges and roadways, according to officials. The Home Minister, Home Secretary, and heads of security agencies were among the ministers summoned to an emergency meeting by acting Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh, according to the PTI report.
The government has issued an order stopping all ongoing exams and closing all schools in Nepal for three days. The major transmission line was blocked by the floodwaters, leaving Nepal’s capital city of Kathmandu without electricity for the whole day. However, power was restored in the evening. Landslides brought on by the rain have also blocked all entrances to Kathmandu.
According to police, 226 residences in Kathmandu have flooded. A rescue team consisting of about 3,000 security officers has been sent from the Nepal Police to the affected regions, the report continued. Ramesh Lekhak, the home minister of Nepal, told AP that “rescuing the people and helping those who have been affected is the government’s priority right now.”
It was forbidden for buses to go on highways at night, and driving was discouraged. According to AP, security personnel were placed on high alert. According to a Reuters story, hundreds of people perish in the country’s frequent flash floods and landslides during the monsoon season every year.