75 die, 69 missing in monsoon disasters across country

Kathmandu, Sept. 29: The death toll from floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall since Thursday has reached 75. Likewise, 69 persons have still gone missing and 60 others have been injured across the country.

According to the latest update by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 34 individuals have lost their lives in the Kathmandu Valley alone. 

In other districts of Bagmati Province, 34 persons have died. 

In the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley, 21 people are still missing and 15 have been injured.

In Kathmandu alone, 11 persons have died. Ten are injured, and six are missing. Likewise, five people were killed in Bhaktapur.

Among the three districts of the Valley, the largest number of deaths were reported from Lalitpur at 18. According to Lalitpur Police, five persons were injured and 15 went missing.

In Kavre, 14 people have died in landslides, 18 are injured, and 16 are missing, according to the police.

Joint Secretary and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Home Affairs Rishiram Tiwari said that movements of long-route day and night vehicles have been brought to a halt until further notice.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Binod Ghimire of the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, 17 were missing and 17 others have been injured in disaster-related incidents in the valley. He said that 1,315 persons affected by floods, landslides, and inundation have been rescued. Four houses have been destroyed in Kathmandu due to floods and landslides, while one house has been damaged in Bhaktapur.

A total of 2,241 houses have been submerged in the valley, including 1,324 in Kathmandu, 500 in Lalitpur, and 417 in Bhaktapur. SSP Ghimire said that 3,060 police personnel have been deployed in Kathmandu, 1,100 in Lalitpur, and 350 in Bhaktapur for rescue and relief operations in the disaster-affected areas.

Of the deceased, in Kathmandu six were killed in Pharping of Dakshinkali Municipality. They include - Bhabindra Limbu, Kumar Tamang, Manu Tamang, Prem Balami, Kanchha Balami, and Devi Limbu.

In Ichangunarayan of Nagarjun Municipality-3, Sachin Sah of Saptari died after a house collapsed this morning. In Chandragiri Municipality-2, 38-year-old Garba Tamang and his wife Sabina Tamang died. Also in Kritipur, Ajay Pandey of Arghakhanchi and another man, whose identify is not yet confirmed, died in landslide in Kathmandu.

Similarly, Joint Spokesperson for the Police Headquarters and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bishwa Adhikari said that the main highways have been blocked at 63 places across the country.

The police, Armed Police Force Nepal and Nepali Army have been continuing the rescue operation in coordination with all agencies. 

The Armed Police Force has requested to contact the hotline number 1114 for emergency rescue.

According to the Directorate of Public Relations and Information of the Nepali Army Headquarters, the army rescue teams have airlifted nine persons who were trapped in the flood and house collapse risk.

Of them, two were rescued from Kantipur Colony after the flooding, and two were airlifted from Kusunti Chowk. Likewise, NA’s helicopter rescued five persons stranded because of the flood in Makkhubesi area of far Lalitpur on Saturday afternoon. They were brought to Kathmandu and kept in shelter of Nepali Army.

20,000 security personnel deployed Meanwhile, the Ministry of Home Affairs has said that over 20,000 security personnel have been deployed nationwide to conduct search and rescue of general public at risk from natural disasters such as floods, landslides, and inundations caused by continuous rainfall.

The security forces are actively involved in minimising damages, protecting lives, rescuing people affected by disasters, and providing medical assistance, according to Joint Secretary and Spokesperson for the Ministry of Home Affairs Rishiram Tiwari. 

More than 1,000 citizens have been successfully rescued from recent floods, landslides, and inundations. Out of the total personnel deployed, 10,041 are from the Nepal Police, and 10,540 are from the Armed Police Force, Nepal.

In the Kathmandu Valley alone, 4,760 personnel from the Nepal Police and 3,500 from the APF have been engaged in rescue operations. 

Additionally, the Nepali Army has rescued nine individuals by helicopter from different parts of the Kathmandu Valley and has deployed teams to affected areas across the country. 

The National Investigation Department is also actively gathering information.

Spokesperson Tiwari said that 1,053 persons have been rescued. Earlier, Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak in a meeting of the Central Security Committee in Singha Durbar has said that the government is actively involved in rescue, relief, and medical treatment for the injured. He has also instructed concerned authorities to reopen roads that were blocked by floods and landslides.

Meanwhile, Bishnu Prasad Pokhrel, District Correspondent from Jhapa, stated that three persons, including a girl, have been missing after being swept away by rivers in Jhapa. 

According to the District Police Office, Jhapa, the search operation has been intensified after a girl went missing being swept away by the river in Kechanakawal. According to police, 14-year-old Neharika Rajbanshi of Kechanakawal-1 went missing. Tikaram Chaudhary of Kamal Rural Municipality-1 has also gone missing after being swept away by local Kisne River.  

According to the police, Chaudhary went missing when he was swept away by the river while fishing in the river. The team of the area police office Gauradaha is involved in the search operation.

Likewise, Malal Tajpuriya, 50, of Bhakurmari squatter settlement of Gaurigunj Rural Municipality has gone missing after he jumped off the Kisne River. 

In Dhading also, three individuals have been missing in landslides and floods triggered by continuous rainfall. One has been killed in the disaster, said the police.  The missing include -- two persons from Chepang community and a girl went missing after being swept away by a local river. The missing persons were identified as Janata Chepang, 40, and Santu Chepang, 20, of Rorang Rural Municipality-6, Dhading, according to police inspector Prahlad Silwal. Identification of the missing girl has not been confirmed yet. Two other girls, however, rescued themselves by swimming.  

Kanchha Rai of Thakre Rural Municipality-3, Mahadevbeshi, died after being buried by the landslide while he was clearing the accumulated debris deposited in the backyard of his home on Saturday morning.  

Similarly, two died and another two persons were injured in a landslide in Pakhribas Municipality-5 of Dhankuta. The deceased were identified as Asha Tamang, 35, her mother Ram Kumari Tamang, 50. They were buried by the landslide while they were trying to take out the goods from the house, said police inspector Bishnu Khadka.