Nepal to aid bereaved families as flood death toll rises to 209

Kathmandu, Oct 1 : The Nepali government has decided to provide 200,000 Nepali rupees ($1,497) in compensation to each of the bereaved families, as the death toll from monsoon rain-induced floods and landslides hit 209.

A three-day national mourning starting from Tuesday was also announced following a cabinet meeting, Xinhua news agency reported on Monday.

"The national flag will be lowered to half-mast during the mourning period," said Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung, who is also the government spokesperson, on Monday evening.

He told the press that families who have members missing for more than 10 days in the disasters spelt by incessant rainfalls on Friday and Saturday will receive the same amount of compensation.

The Cabinet decided to allocate 1 billion rupees ($7.48 million) to the Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund, Gurung noted.

By Monday evening, 24 people remained missing and 130 others were injured, Nepal Police said in a statement, adding "the rescue efforts are ongoing".

The Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and Nepali Army are working together in the ongoing rescue operations. However, efforts have been significantly hampered by damaged infrastructure, with key roads blocked due to landslides and flooding, complicating the transportation of essential supplies and aid.

In an advisory issued on Monday, Nepal Police urged the public to stay vigilant, especially those residing in high-risk areas. They recommended checking with local police stations for updates on road conditions before undertaking long journeys, as many routes remain dangerous or impassable.