36 DEAD AS RAINS TRIGGER LANDSLIDES, FLOODS IN NEPAL

KATHMANDU: At least 36 people were killed and dozens reported missing after torrential rains triggeredfloodsandlandslidesin partsofNepal,thehomeministry said on Saturday.

Many of the casualties were reported from the Terai region bordering India, which faced massive flooding after receiving heavy rainfall since Friday. The weathermanhaswarnedthatthe countrywillreceivemorerainon Sunday.

PrimeMinisterSherBahadur DeubacalledanemergencymeetingwithhomeministerJanardan Sharma, police chiefs and other officialstoexpediteanimmediate search-and-rescue operation in Tarai.

“I could not visit and inspect theflood-affectedareasduetobad weather,”Sharmasaid.Hisministry estimated thousands were displaced due to the rains.

Several rivers, including the Koshi and the Bagmati are close to or have crossed danger levels. Deputy Prime Minister and foreign minister Krishna Bahadur MahararequestedIndiaopenthe gates of the barrage on the Koshi — also called the “sorrow of Bihar”—asrisingwaterlevelsin the river have put dozens of human settlements at risk.

Images on social media showedtherunwayatBiratnagar airport submerged in a metre of water, with an empty plane strandedonthetarmac.Morang police chief Arun BC said the airport had been shut due to the flooding.