The death toll due to incessant rain, floods, landslides, and inundation has reached nearly 200 with at least 30 people still missing.
As many as 192 people have been killed so far in the Himalayan nation, reported MyRepublica news portal. Around 194 people have been injured due to the floods and rain, said Nepal's Home Ministry Spokesperson Rishiram Tiwari.
Security agencies have been deployed for search and rescue and relief efforts following the floods and landslides, Tiwari said. Over 4,500 disaster-affected individuals have been rescued so far, the report stated.
The extremely heavy rainfall has left a trail of destruction with severely damaged numerous roads throughout the nation. All routes leading to the capital Kathmandu have been blocked, leaving thousands of travellers stranded, reported Kathmandu Post.
Tiwari said that efforts are underway to clear the obstructed highways to resume transportation.
Lack of necessary equipment for rescue operations has made the task difficult for the Nepal Army and Armed Police Force who have been mobilised on the ground. Security personnel are resorting to the use of primitive equipment like rubber boats, ropes, tubes, and shovels for rescue operations, says Dijan Bhattarai, spokesperson of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority under the Home Ministry, as per Kathmandu Post report.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is recently on a 10-day visit to the United States will return to Nepal on Monday. He participated in the 79th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
Officiating Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh convened an all-party meeting on Sunday and decided to boost rescue, relief, and re-establishment efforts.
On Saturday, the government decided to close all schools across the nation for three days and halt all the ongoing examinations amid the inclement weather conditions and the havoc it has unleashed. The decision was taken during an emergency Cabinet meeting held by Acting PM, said Minister for Education Bidya Bhattarai.