KATHMANDU: Landslides and flood havoc triggered by incessant rainfall this monsoon together with other kinds of natural disaster have claimed the lives of 68 people in the country.

The number of people who went missing totalled 23 and those injured amounted to 24, till date . While more than 4,000 remain displaced from home, sources at the Ministry of Home Affairs, revealed here today.

Siraha district recorded highest number of deaths - 10. While five each died in Kapilbastu, Ilam and Dang, Udayapur, Achham, Darchula and Jhapa recorded two deaths each. Baitadi, Kaski, and Mugu three, and one each in Kailali, Ramechhap, Myagdi, Rasuwa, and Nawalparasi. Ishwor Raj Regmi, under secretary of Central Disaster Relief Committee of Home Ministry informed that they were distributing relief packages to the next of kin to the tune of Rs 25,000 as an immediate relief.

Police is meanwhile searching for those who went missing, at many different places across the affected districts.

Likewise, injured 24 people are getting treatment at the different hospitals, Regmi said, adding, "some critically injured are being treated at different hospitals in the capital and those with less serious injuries are taken care of at the district headquarters."

The Ministry have no any data on the damages caused to property, nor any concrete evidences on the number of people who got displaced. However, under secretary Regmi said that the government is doing everything it can to provide shelter and food for the displaced.

According to the Home Ministry, the apex body in relation to disaster management in the country, and responsible for ensuring rescue and relief materials to the victims, Jhapa, Mahottari, Kailali, Saankhuwasabha, and Siraha districts are the most affected ones. Locals, however, claimed that they were suffering from the sluggishness on the part of the government in the distribution of relief materials.

It is learnt that the Central Disaster Relief Committee under the chairmanship of Home Minister has not been functioning well for want of resources and other requisites.