Death toll rises to 11, over 20 still missing in Central Nepal landslide
Sep 13, 2020
Kathmandu [Nepal], September 13 : Death toll in Sindhupalchowk District of Central Nepal has risen to 11 while 20 are reported missing after landslide triggered by incessant rainfall over-night swept residential area.
Preliminary report of Police stated that a total of 11 houses were swept by the landslide.
"A total of 7 houses were swept by a landslide in Nagpuje, 2 in Virkharka and 2 in Newar Tole. As per our report a total of 31 people were in those house before it was swept overnight, out of them we have recovered bodies of 11 people, 20 are still unaccounted for," Information Officer at District Police Office Prakash Sapkota told ANI over the phone.
Police have established the identity of those dead in the latest round of calamity that has struck the district. Earlier in 2015, hundreds of people lost their lives due to the massive earthquake which laid some of its epicentres in the district.
"We recovered one body nearly 8 kilometres down, the Sunkoshi River this afternoon," Sapkota added.
Search and rescuers had struggled throughout the day to find the missing ones hoping for lives under the debris. Along with search, assessment of the damage caused by the landslide result of downpour is being conducted simultaneously.
"A total of 3 residents of Virkharka Tole, 16 of Nagpuje and One of Newar Tole is missing. It is assumed that a big mound of soil triggered the landslide. It has reached up to the Bhotekoshi River which lies around 700 meters down from the site of impact," Superintendent of Police, Sindhupalchowk Rajan Adhikari said.
The Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been undertaking search operation with the help of locals. As the impact of the landslide has been seen up to riverine down, a search operation is being conducted in the river.
