Nepal: 60 dead, 41 missing in floods, landslides
Jul 13, 2020
Kathmandu [Nepal], July 13 : At least 60 people have died while 41 have gone missing in floods and landslides in the last four days in various parts of Nepal.
Myagdi District of Western Nepal is the worst affected with 27 deaths.
Search and rescue operations are underway with officials and police personnel looking through the debris to find the missing people.
Hundreds have been displaced in the district as landslides have swept away their homes. They have now taken refuge in local schools and community centers.
"My child is just six months old. We are taking shelter in the school. In my family my child and I are the only survivors. I held him in my hands and then ran from my house as the landslide came down," Mansuwa BK, who is now taking shelter at a local school in Bim of Myagdi District, told ANI.
"In the first phase we rescued the injured which took us around 30-35 hours to complete. Now we are continuing our search operation for the missing ones who are believed to have been buried in the debris and identification of those who are dead and making arrangements for their cremation," Thamsara Pun, Village Council Chair of Dhaulagiri Village Council of Myagdi, which is affected by landslide, said.
"Two of our wards have been completely swept away due to the landslide," the local body representative added.
Landslides and floods are a common phenomenon in the Himalayan nation during the monsoon season.
As of July 12, about one thousand people have been displaced from their homes and have taken shelter in nearby schools and are relying on the support of donors.
"No one is helpless in that area for now - they all have been shifted to schools and community buildings. The search operation is underway involving 70-80 security personnel and it is towards the end and the work of providing relief has also started," Gyannath Dhakal, Chief District Officer of Myagdi District told ANI.
Nepal's Meteorological Forecasting Division earlier this week had predicted heavy downpour for the first three days of this week across the country. In the bulletin the Division had warned of monsoon being near the low-pressure line in the Terai belt, which would consequently cause rainfall.
