Floods, landslides killed at least 188 in Nepal in 2001

Floods, landslides killed at least 188 in Nepal in 2001

KATHMANDU (Agencies): At least 188 people have been killed in
floods and landslides in different parts of Nepal so far this
year, according to data made available on Thursday.

Nepalese newspapers reported on Thursday that nine Nepalese
Hindu pilgrims were swept away by the swollen Kamala River, about
100 kilometers east of the capital, on Wednesday. They are
presumed dead.

Similarly, the Nepali language daily Rajdhani reported on
Thursday reported that five people died due to floods in far west
Nepal on Wednesday.

The Nepalese Home Minister, Khum Bahadur Khadka, informed
parliament on Wednesday evening that a total of 174 people had
died in floods and landslips during the present monsoon.

He also said that floods affected about 1400 families and
property worth 116 million Nepalese rupees (about 1.6 million US
dollars) was destroyed by the floods and landslides.

The English language daily Kathmandu Post reported on Thursday
that the people of Rupendehi district, about 250 kilometers south
west of the capital, felt a sense of respite as waters in the
flood hit district began receding Wednesday.

According to the newspaper, a dam constructed by India just
300 metres from the Nepal-India border without Nepal's approval
had blocked the natural flow of water and inundated thousands of
hectares of cultivated farmland in Nepal.

The dam built on the Danab River in the Indian state of Uttar
Pradesh is at least 20 feet high and could submerge Nepal's
Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, during the summer months,
reports said.

Meanwhile, in Bangladesh, some 300,000 people have been
affected by floods caused by monsoon rains and overflowing rivers
in neighboring India, officials and reports said on Thursday.

The situation was likely to worsen further with downpours
continuing to batter Bangladesh, officials said.

There was no official figure for people hit by the floods, but
the Daily Star newspaper put the number at 300,000. No deaths
have been reported.

Many of the victims are marooned in their flooded homes and
shelters were expected to be set up Thursday, local officials in
northeastern districts said.

The latest areas to be affected were Rangpur, Rajshahi and
Chapainawabganj. The northeastern areas of Netrakona, Sylhet,
Moulavibazar and Sunamganj are already suffering from the
flooding.