Flooding in Southeast Asia kills more than 160 people

Intense rain caused by monsoons in India , Nepal , and Bangladesh have killed more than 160 people last week, officials said on Tuesday, while the search for missing persons and the rescue for those stranded by flood waters continues.

In Nepal, the death toll arose to 115 and there were 38 missing people by cause of sudden floods and landslides . Rescuers said that 26 out of 76 districts were either submerged or hit by landslides.

Television pictures showed people walking through chest-deep water carrying their belongings and live stock.

“We will now focus more on rescue of those trapped in floods and relief distribution. People have nothing to eat, no clothes. So we have to provide them something to eat and save their lives,” said Nepali police spokesman Pushkar Karki .

Flooding in the North of Bangladesh caused the death of at least 27 people in the past days and affected more than 500,000 people who fled from their houses to shelter in camps, said authorities.

The current situation could get worse as the residual rainwater from the neighboring India zones downstream to the densely populated country, they added.

In the northern Indian state of Bihar , the Army and the Indian Air Force ( IAF ) provided assistance, said the Government. Media reported that about 2 million people had been affected and at least 10 have been killed. Flooding has also killed at least 15 people in the past two days in the Northern state of Assam.

Indian meteorological department is forecasting heavy rains on Wednesday. Monsoon season , from June to September, provides sustenance to farmers in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, yet it causes loss of life and property damage every year.

sg