VOA News
August 18, 2014 1:57 AM


Flooding in Nepal and India – Monday, Aug. 18

Three days of flooding in Nepal and northern India have killed close to 200 people.

Last week's torrential rains triggered the landslides and flooding, destroying entire villages, stranding thousands and damaging roads across the Nepal's western plains and parts of neighboring India.

In Nepal, more than 100 people have died and more than 120 others are missing.

Government officials have dispatched four helicopters with food, emergency supplies, medicine and medical workers to the affected villages.

Meanwhile in northern India some 80 people were killed in heavy flooding.


Indian villagers move in a country boat through a flooded village in Morigaon district of northeastern Assam state, India, Monday, Aug. 18, 2014.
In India's Uttar Pradesh state, waters from overflowing dams in Nepal caused several rivers to breach their banks. Heavy flooding was also reported in Uttarakhand state and Assam.


Indian officials say troops are working to help those marooned by the floods.

Authorities in both countries are fearful that the lack of clean drinking water could lead to an outbreak of cholera, a potentially deadly disease spread by eating or drinking food or water contaminated by human feces.

A massive landslide earlier this month smashed into villages near Katmandu, killing 156 people.

Heavy rains in neighboring northern India has led to the deaths of several people and flooded some villages in recent days.

Hundreds of people die every year in floods and landslides during the monsoon season in South Asia.