Kathmandu: Heavy rainfall hampered search and rescue operation on Friday in northeast Nepal where a landslide buried six villages and killed at least 35 people and authorities say the death could go up to 66 as many people are still trapped or missing.
Rescuers dug out the bodies and searched the rubble for survivors in Taplejung district. Thirty five bodies have been recovered from the site so far and 31 are still missing, Nepal Police said in a statement.
Fourteen people trapped in the landslide in Lyamlyam are yet to be rescued. The rescue work could not be carried out due to adverse weather conditions, said Chief District Officer Damaru Prasad Niroula.
A helicopter sent to the site on Thursday returned back before reaching the destination due to bad weather. Another attempt to reach the site was made this morning too could not materialise, Niroula said.
Nepal Army and Nepal Police personnel have been mobilised for carrying out search and rescue operations in the site. A team led by Prime Minister Sushil Koirala which was scheduled visit the landslide hit site for inspection on Friday could not go there due to the bad weather condition, according to Nepal Army sources.
Meanwhile, 70 families from Dovan Bazaar area of Taplejung district have been shifted other places due to high risks of landslide.
The flood water swept six houses at Ramduwari Bazaar on Thursday. A lake was formed after the Mewakhola river was blocked by the mudslip. The flood damaged a powerhouse at Langbakhola Micro-Hydro Project at Thumika.
Around 1,000 families are forced to live in darkness after the power house was damaged.
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