Death toll rises to 49; 36 missing in Terai landslides,floods
KATHMANDU, Aug 13: At 49 people have lost lives in the flood and landslide following downpour for the last three days in different parts of Terai, while 36 are still missing and 17 injured, according to Home Ministry.
The death toll was reported 39 on Saturday night.
According to Ministry eight died in Sunsari, seven in Rautahat, six each in Makwanpur and Morang, four in Sindhuli and three each in Banke, Surkhet and Jhapa.
Due to heavy rainfall and flood supply and electricity has been disrupted in the flood affected 11 districts.
As many as 8,300 security personnel have already been mobilized in the rescue operation across the country. The worse hit districts are Panchthar, Sindhuli, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Sarlahi, Bara, Dang, Banke, Makawanpur and Palpa.
Over 200 people from Narainapur, Holiya, Phattepur, Tikulipur, Bairiya Sikta among other places of Banke district were rescued to safer zones.
Similarly, rescue work were on at Madargachhi, Kapan, Kawas, Salpara, Saurghutu of Jhapa and Budhikhola of Sunsari, Hanumannagar and Tilathi of Saptari, Bagmati area of Sarlahi and Rautahat by using the rafting boats.
The District Natural Disaster Rescue Committee has distributed dry foods to victims in these areas. Efforts were also on to pack food items to be distributed to those affected by flooding and landslides, while helipads at Nepal Army’s barracks have been kept ready for relief distribution.
CENTRAL COMMAND POST FORMED
An emergency meeting headed by Home Minster Janardan Sharma has formed a central command post for intensifying rescue operations in the areas affected. The meeting has also urged Indian government to open more doors of Laxmanpur barrage and Koshi barrage for minimizing the damage done by the flood in Nepali side.
Similarly, the Home Ministry has appealed to one and all including industrialists, business entrepreneurs, civil society and social workers to help in rescue operation and relief distribution.
Likewise, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Management has intensified clearance and repair of obstructed roads across the country so as to resume transport to help ease rescue operation and relief distribution.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has been asked to manage mobilising health workers with medicines to affected areas, while Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has been asked to operate private helicopters with priority in helping rescue operation.