Rain, floods wreak havoc in Nepal, India’s Uttarakhand state

NEPAL: Incessant rains followed by flooding and landslides continuing from Sunday have created havoc in Nepal.

Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs said on Tuesday that 19 districts of the country have been badly affected by floods and landslides, leaving at least six people dead in the last three days.

The country had already witnessed the end of monsoon season but the sudden changes in the climatic conditions, have hit life, impacting travel and communication, the electricity supply, and harvesting of agricultural produce.

Several highways have been obstructed while domestic flights have been suspended, according to the officials. The rain and flooding have hugely impacted paddy harvesting in several parts of the country. Farmers were all set to harvest the paddy but due to the incessant rainfalls, thousands of hectares of paddy that was all set to harvest have been submerged in the water.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has instructed Home Minister Bal Krishna Khad to ensure rescue and search operations of the people who have gone missing and ensure the safe relocation of people who are facing risk due to flooding and landslides.

Meanwhile, the death toll in India’s flood-hit state Uttarakhand rose to 34, the state’s Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Tuesday after taking an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas. Dhami told the media that five people were missing in the flood-affected areas.

Nainital is one of the worst affected places in the northern state. A cloudburst was also reported in Ramgarh area of Nainital, resulting in the district being cut off from the rest of the state.

– IANS, XINHUA