2 dead, 23 go missing as floods wash away 33 houses in Nepal

Kathmandu, July 9 (efe-epa).- At least two people, including a minor, died and 23 others were missing as torrential rains triggered floods and landslides washed away 33 houses in Nepal, officials said on Thursday.

The disaster struck three different settlements in Sindhupalchowk district, around 70 km north-east of Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, on Wednesday night.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Madhav Prasad Kafle told EFE that at least 16 residents were missing in Bahrabise Municipality-5 as floods swept away 11 houses.

Authorities have found two dead bodies from the same settlement. They identified the deceased as Nikesh Basnet, 20, and his three-year-old daughter.

Four people have gone missing in Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality-5 as floods washed away two houses. Another 20 houses were swept away in Khagdal where three people were reported missing.

Chief District Officer of Sindhupalchok Umesh Kumar Dhakal told EFE that due to heavy rainfall in the region, the water level in the Bhotekoshi River and local rivulets rose above the danger level.

“Details are yet to come. Rescue teams from the Nepal Army and Armed Police Force have already reached the affected area,” he said.

The monsoon started in Nepal on June 12. Since then, the country has seen frequent incidents of extreme weather conditions.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, based on the water-induced disasters, it is the deadliest monsoon season in more than a decade in the Himalayan nation.

As per the authority’s statistics, landslides and floods have killed 38 people as of Thursday since the start of monsoon. EFE-EPA

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