Widespread floods in Nepal lead to death and destruction

By Jay Jackson, New York Statesman
15 Jul 2019, 06:29 GMT+10

At least 43 people have been reported killed, dozens have been injured, and dozens more are missing
Incessant rain since Thursday has left many settlements at high risk of floods and landslides in locations around the country
27,380 police offiocers have been deployed across the country to carry out search and rescue operations

KATHMANDU, Nepal - Search and rescue operations are occurring across Nepal as the southeast Asian nation continues to be hit by torrential rain, causing widespread flooding and landslides.

At least 43 people have been reported killed, dozens have been injured, and dozens more are missing.

Incessant rain since Thursday has left many settlements at high risk of floods and landslides in locations around the country. Transportation has also been disrupted on all major highways.

Transportation has come to a virtual standstill with roads awash with flooding. Major highways are out of action, and diversions in place have slowed traffic dramatically.

According to police reports published in The Himalayan Times newspaper on Sunday, 27,380 police offiocers have been deployed across the country to carry out search and rescue operations.

Of these, around 8,856 police personnel were deployed in Kathmandu valley alone.

An alert was issued on Sunday by Nepal's Department of Hydrology and Meteorology warning of the risks of flash floods in rivers flowing from the Chure region and hills of Sudur Paschim Province, Province 5 and small rivers flowing from Karnali Province. The bulletin said there is a high risk of flash floods in rivers flowing in the mid-hilly regions in Province 1, 2, 3 and Gandaki Province.

The Meteorological Forecasting Division has forecast continued heavy rain nationally in the coming days.

(Photo credit: Xinhua | Sunil Sharma).

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