Kathmandu, July 13

Death toll from floods and landslides caused by torrential rains across the country since July 2 has reached 56, the Ministry of Home Affairs said today.

Similarly, nine persons were injured and 12 others went missing. As many as 39 districts were affected by torrential rains.

Joint secretary Ram Krishna Subedi at the MoHA said the government had mobilised the Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force in association with local administration and citizens for search, rescue and relief operations.

As per the Disaster Victim Rescue and Relief Standards (Sixth Amendment), the government provides a cash relief of Rs 100,000 to the grieving family for each victim killed in the disaster. Similarly, it has provided for a provision of Rs 10,000 immediately after disaster for each household that has lost its home or food supplies.  The government also provides timber to the disaster-hit family for rehabilitation at a subsidised rate through the district-based agency prescribed by the Ministry of Forest and Environment.

Only the persons or families affected by earthquake, flood, landslide, hailstorm, windstorm, lightning, cold wave, snowfall, and road traffic and aircraft accident and boat capsize caused by adverse weather condition are entitled to the relief.

Meanwhile, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council chaired by Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa has urged the provincial governments and district disaster management committees to maintain high alert to cope with disasters during the monsoon. It has also entrusted National Emergency Operation Centre with coordinating with the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology for the dissemination of early information about rain forecast to the concerned ministries and security agencies.

Likewise, security agencies with NA choppers, medical teams and other resources will be kept standby to respond to emergency situations.