Nepal: 104 killed in landslides, floods, at least 69 still missing

Landslides and floods induced by incessant rain in Nepal have left 104 people dead and 74 others injured, the home ministry said. Ministry spokesperson Rishiram Tiwari said on Saturday in a statement that 69 more people were missing, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The Kathmandu Valley suffered the highest loss with 34 deaths," Tiwari said, noting that more than 3,000 people had been rescued by security forces and the government had decided to provide free treatment to the injured and start a rehabilitation programme as early as possible for those who lost their homes.

Several highways and bridges were destroyed in different parts of the country, and clearing the highways is the government's top priority, the spokesperson said. According to a Nepal police statement, almost all the highways, including those connecting the rest of the country with the capital city of Kathmandu, had been obstructed owing to the disaster.

Nepal's ministry of education, science and technology, meanwhile, urged all local governments to close all schools for three days starting from Sunday, and decided to postpone all examinations at the university level which had been scheduled until Tuesday.

Nepal has seen more-than-average rainfall during the monsoon season this year, which started on 10 June and is now coming to an end. Parts of Kathmandu were inundated by swollen rivers, with many houses flooded and residents forced to move to higher floors.

A huge area in the southern part of the city was mostly flooded, and an army helicopter was used to pick up four people who were unable to leave their houses. Most of Kathmandu was without power and internet for a period of time. The monsoon season, which brings heavy rainfall, began in June and usually ends by mid-September.