Nepal floods: Death toll rises to 49 as thousands of families get displaced due to incessant rainfall

Kathmandu: The death toll from floods and landslides in Nepal rose to 49 on Saturday with thousands of families displaced from their homes due to incessant rainfall in several districts across the country, officials said. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, at least 13 persons were injured in the rain-related incidents and 17 others remained missing. [caption id=“attachment_3882913” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. PTI[/caption] The latest data released by the ministry shows that 21 districts have been hit badly by the flash floods and landslides, The Himalayan Times reported. According to the data, one person was killed in Panchthar; four in Sindhuli, Jhapa, and Banke each; five in Morang; eight in Sunsari; three in Sarlahi and Surkhet each; and two in Bara and Dang each. Similarly, seven persons died in Rautahat floods and landslides, two in Bardiya, one in Dhanusha, Makawanpur, Kailai, and Palpa districts each. Jhapa, Morang Sunsari, Sapttari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Banke, Bardiya, and Dang districts were the worst affected by flood. Some 35,843 houses have been inundated; 1,000 houses are damaged; and 397 livestock died in the floods, the ministry data said. Many cities in the Tarai region have been inundated while transportation along the East West Highway has been halted after a pillar of Dudhaura Bridge sank at Pathlaiya-Nijgadh road section. On Saturday, Nepal cabinet held an emergency meeting during which Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had ordered the local district administrations to intensify the rescue and release activities.