Death toll from floods and landslides in Nepal rises to 148

At least 55 people are still missing. The devastating monsoon rains, which started on Thursday evening, ravaged much of the country, especially in the east and center.

According to Nepalese police spokesman Dan Bahadur Karki, 101 people have been injured in various regions since Friday. “The search continues for the missing, while affected families are brought to safety. It may take a few more days,” Karki said.

Since yesterday/Saturday, rescue teams have recovered at least 35 bodies from buses buried in landslides on the outskirts of Kathmandu, officials said. According to the Nepalese police, 3,661 people from the affected areas have been brought to safety.

More than half of the fatalities occurred in the capital Kathmandu and surrounding districts, which have been hit hard by floods and landslides.

Local media have described Kathmandu’s rainfall as the worst in decades. The government has announced free treatment for the injured and relief packages for affected families. The torrential rains severely damaged infrastructure, including roads and bridges.

Although domestic flights have partially resumed, many major roads connecting Kathmandu to the rest of the country are still blocked by landslides, and power and internet are out in some areas.

Although the weather has improved in Kathmandu, authorities predict that rain will continue in isolated parts of the country until Sunday evening.

Nepal’s mountainous terrain and many rivers make the country particularly vulnerable to natural disasters.