KATHMANDU, MAY 24 A total of 70 people have lost their lives in 1,342 disaster-related incidents reported across the country over the past 40 days, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. Data from April to May show that 333 people were injured and 1,621 families affected by various disasters during the period. Authority spokesperson Shanti Mahat said altitude sickness claimed the highest number of lives at 16, followed by lightning strikes with 14 deaths and fires with 11. Similarly, nine people died in storms, eight in animal attacks, five from snakebites, two in landslides, and two in boat capsize incidents. One death each was reported from a forest fire, avalanche and another landslide-related incident. Among affected households, fires impacted the highest number of families at 488, followed by storms affecting 230 families, lightning strikes 139 families and snakebites 105 families. The authority stated that three more people died in disaster-related incidents in the last 24 hours alone. With the monsoon season approaching, officials have warned of increasing risks of landslides and heat waves. Flooding triggered by heavy rainfall in several eastern districts has already affected large areas, according to the authority. (With inputs from RSS)