Kathmandu, Sep 29 (EFE).- Nepal’s government on Sunday ordered schools across the country to close for at least three days amid widespread flooding caused by heavy monsoon rains that have left nearly 130 people dead, while dozens are missing.
The closure, decided at an emergency cabinet meeting, was ordered to protect the safety of school students and education staff, Education Ministry spokesman Laxmi Prasad Bhattarai said in a statement.
The floods have severely impact communities, causing transport disruption and damage to school buildings. Around 50 people are missing and dozens have been reported injured, according to the latest police report.
The Kathmandu Valley, epicenter of the floods, on Saturday saw its highest level of rainfall since 1970. Thousands of homes have been submerged and authorities fear the death toll will continue to rise.
Sharmila Sharma, who lives in a rented room in the Nepalese capital, told EFE how the water flooded her home up to a meter high. “This has been one of the worst floods I have seen in Kathmandu in the last 30 years,” she said.
Experts attribute the extreme rainfall to a low pressure system over the Bay of Bengal and the prolongation of the monsoon.
A low pressure system coupled with a longer monsoon season have caused major rivers across the country to flood and most of them have exceeded the danger level.
In the capital region, comprising Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, several rivers have burst their banks, inundating roads and flooding homes. EFE
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