Monsoon wreaks havoc, claims 30; Rainfall will continue for next few days: MFD

Kathmandu / Aug. 12: At least 30 people are now confirmed killed and hundreds of families are displaced in floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall since Friday in various parts of the country.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), Jhapa, Morang Sunsari, Saptari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Palpa, Banke, Bardiya and Dang are the worst affected by floods.

The Home Ministry updates show that seven were killed in Sunsari, four each in Jhapa and Sindhili, three each in Morang, Banke and Panchthar, one each in Bara, Sarlahi, Dang, Palpa and Baridya.

Hundreds of houses have been inundated in the affected districts. Biratnagar airport has been closed after flood water gushed into the airport area.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Janardan Sharma has, expressing sorrow over the loss of lives in water-induced disasters in different parts of the country, directed the security bodies to intensify rescue and relief efforts for the affected.

Talking to journalists at the Ministry Saturday, he said food and rescue materials are ready at the airport to transport to the disaster-hit areas.

He said though he wished to visit the affected districts, adverse weather barred him from doing so. Once the weather permits, he would leave for there, he added.

The government has mobilized Nepal Police, Nepali Army and APF personnel for rescue and recovery work, according to MoHA.

Govt urges India to open sluices of Saptakoshi and Laxmanpur barrages
Meanwhile, the Nepal government has urged Indian government to open the sluices of Sapktakoshi and Laxmanpur barrages as water flow in the rivers has reached dangerously high due to heavy rainfall since Friday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara called Indian ambassador Manjeev Singh Puri on Saturday, urging him to take diplomatic initiation to open the channels of the barrages, according to chief personal secretary of the Foreign Minister, Yubaraj Chaulagain.

Ambassador Puri, in response, said that India is ready to open the sluices of the dams and he will take necessary measures regarding the issue, Chaulagain told Republica Online, adding that the Ambassador assured that India will not block the river flow.

Earlier, Home Minister Janardan Sharma had urged Foreign Ministry to take diplomatic initiatives with India regarding alarming situation in the areas.

A meeting of Home Ministry on Saturday decided to ask Foreign Ministry to open sluices of the barrage to avoid further havoc in the areas.

Rainfall will continue for next few days: MFD

At a time when the country is inaundated due to torrential downpour, the Meteorological Forecasting Division has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall across the country for the next few days.

According to MFD, the country has been witnessing rainfall for the past few days as monsoon trough is lingering between Churiya range and the Tarai.

Meteorologist at the division Suvash Rimal said monsoon would remain fully active across the country for the next few days. “Since the monsoon trough is lingering between the Churia range and the southern plains, the country will continue to receive rainfall for the next three days,” Rimal told The Himalayan Times. He said there were chances of heavy rainfall in eastern and central region tomorrow. Similarly, the weather will remain mostly cloudy across the country for the next few days.

According to MFD, Dipayal recorded 6 mm, Dadeldhura 4 mm, Dhangadi 5 mm, Birendranagar 3 mm, Nepalgunj 1 mm, Jumla 3 mm, Dang 1 mm, Pokhara 89 mm, Bhairahawa 85 mm, Simara 89 mm, Kathmandu 19 mm, Okhaldhunga 20 mm, Taplejung 52 mm, Dhankuta 54 mm and Biratnagar 57 mm rainfall in past 24 hours ending at 5:00pm today.

Meanwhile, Flood Forecasting Division of Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has urged people living near Kankai, Kamala, Triyuga, Bagmati, Khado, Ratu, Lal Bakaiya rivers to remain alert for the next 24 hours.