Toll in Nepal floods, landslides reach 43

Kathmandu, July 14 (IANS) The death toll in the Nepal floods and landslides caused by torrential rain has increased to 43, while 21 were reported missing and 26 others injured, authorities confirmed on Sunday.

The toll was confirmed by the Home Ministry, adding that 2,000 people had been rescued by Saturday evening, the Kathmandu Post reported.

Since Thursday evening, the Himalayan nation has witnessed heavy rainfall in an indication of the changing rainfall pattern, data from Simara station of the Meteorological Forecasting Division revealed

The country is receiving more rainfall in a short duration of time, an abnormal phenomenon that is slowly becoming a new normal, the data added.

Simara station received the highest rainfall in the latest wet spell. In the 24-hour period since Thursday evening, Simara recorded 311.9 mm rainfall, according to the Meteorological Forecasting Division.

The Simara station also surpassed its own extreme rainfall in 24 hours for July. The last incident of extreme precipitation in 24 hours was 266.4 mm in July 16, 1978.

Different districts on Saturday also saw devastation and destruction by floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall, reports the Kathmandu Post.

Parts of the capital Kathmandu have been left submerged under floodwaters.

In Province 2, around 80 per cent of the land has been inundated, while 15 houses were swept away in Saptari and 2,500 houses inundated. Until Saturday, 1,500 families had been displaced.

In Morang, waters from the swollen Bakraha, Lohandra, Judi, Singhiya and Keshliya, among other rivers, gushed into nearby settlements, displacing around 4,000 people.

According to the Traffic Police and the Department of Roads, Besisahar-Chame, Ghurmi-Okhaldhunga, Khotang-Bhojpur and Beni-Jomsom roads have remained closed due to landslides and floods.

Vehicular movement was halted along the Pharping-Hetauda Road on Saturday due to landslides at Sisne, Daman and Palung.