Death toll rises to 88: Nepal floods

Kathmandu: The death toll in floods and landslides triggered by incessant rains since last week in Nepal has mounted to 88, with as many as 31 people still missing, Nepal's Home Ministry said on Wednesday.

Torrential downpour since Thursday has affected nearly 31 of the 70 districts across Nepal and injured 41 people. Nepal Police and the Army have so far rescued 3366 people from all the flood-affected districts of the country.

As per government figures, as many as 27,000 police personnel, 8,000 Army personnel and 8150 Armed Police Force (APF) personnel have been mobilised to the flood-affected regions.

The rescue and relief efforts are currently underway in the districts of Rautahat, Dhanusha, Mahottri, and Dolpa. Helicopters have been kept on standby in Kathmandu, Itahari, and Dhanusha to meet any eventualities.

Provinces 1, 2 and 3 are the worst hit, with Lalitpur, Bhojpur and Rautahat witnessing the highest death toll.

In addition, the lack of sanitation has increased the fear of the breakout of epidemics.

Meanwhile, the Government of Nepal has decided not to seek foreign aid, and instead directed the local bodies to expedite rescue and relief work.