Landslides and floods in Nepal kill 50
NEPAL: Landslides and floods triggered by several weeks of
monsoon rains have killed at least 50 people in mainly remote parts of
Nepal, a government official said Thursday.
“So far, 50 people from across the country have been killed by
landslides and floods,” said Lakshmi Prasad Dhakal, chief of National
Emergency Operation Centre, which monitors natural disasters in Nepal.
The death toll is likely to rise, with some 19 people still missing
after floods hit mostly farming communities in the country's southern
plains and remote western hills, Dhakal said.
“We are forming a committee headed by the minister for physical
planning, which will present a report on how to rebuild the
infrastructure damaged by the landslides and floods,” said Dhakal.
A total of 7,000 people have also been displaced, while 800 houses
have been completely destroyed and 1500 partly damaged, after heavy
monsoon rains began in mid-June and eased two weeks later, he said.
“Over 1000 livestock have also been killed and we are still assessing
the damage in monetary terms,” Dhakal said, adding that the government
has distributed 7.5 million rupees ($78,000) in total to victims.
AFP |