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Heavy rain leaves scores dead in Nepal, India and Bangladesh

Rain-triggered floods, mudslides and lightning have left a trail of destruction in parts of South Asia.

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Flood-affected villagers travel on a boat in Katahguri village along the river Brahmaputra, east of Gauhati, India

Flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall have killed at least 50 people in Nepal in the past few days, with more deaths reported across the border in India and Bangladesh.

At least 30 other people were missing in Nepal, either swept away by swollen rivers or buried by mudslides since monsoon rains began pounding the region on Friday, Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Centre said.

It said nine key roads remained blocked by floods and mudslides, and attempts were under way to open them up for traffic.

Flood-affected villagers move on a makeshift bamboo raft in Katahguri village along the river Brahmaputra, east of Gauhati, India
(Anupam Nath/AP)

Among them is the East-West Highway, which connects Nepal’s southern districts.

Other roads were being cleared by thousands of police and soldiers.

Continuing bad weather has grounded helicopter rescue flights.

Workers were also repairing fallen communication towers to restore phone lines.

Thirty people have been treated for injuries and more than 1,100 others rescued from flooded areas.

Flood-affected villagers travel on a boat as others take shelter on a highland in Katahguri village along the river Brahmaputra, east of Gauhati, India
(Anupam Nath/AP)

More than 10,000 are estimated to have been displaced.

Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology warned of more troubles ahead for the southern region near the main rivers, urging people to keep watch on rising water levels and move to higher ground when needed.

Rain-triggered floods, mudslides and lightning have left a trail of destruction in other parts of South Asia.

In Bangladesh, at least a dozen people, mostly farmers in rural areas, have been killed by lightning since Saturday as monsoon rains continue to batter parts of the low-lying country, according to officials and news reports.

Water Development Board official Rabiul Islam said about 40,000 people have been affected, mostly due to their homes being submerged under water.

Bangladesh, a low-lying delta nation of 160 million people with more than 130 rivers, is prone to monsoon floods because of overflowing rivers and the heavy onrush of water from upstream India.

Officials in north-eastern India said at least 14 people were killed and more than a million affected by flooding.

Flood-affected villagers take shelter on the roof of their submerged houses in Katahguri village along the river Brahmaputra, east of Gauhati, India
(Anupam Nath/AP)

Six deaths were reported in neighbouring Arunachal state.

Assam’s Kaziranga National Park, home to the endangered one-horn rhinoceros, has been flooded.

Floods and mudslides have also hit some other north east Indian states, including Meghalaya, Sikkim and Mizoram.

In Mizoram, floods have submerged about 400 homes in the small town of Tlabung, police said.

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