KATHMANDU, Aug 15: A total of 211 people have died in monsoon-triggered disasters and other incidents in the past couple of months in the country while 48 have gone missing. 

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the deaths from the monsoon-induced disasters were 170 while the remaining fatalities were due to fire, snakebites, high altitude sickness, animal assaults, and so on. The data is since June 10, the day that marked the arrival of the monsoon this year. 

NDRRMA Spokesperson Dr Dijan Bhattarai said this year Bagmati and Gandaki provinces suffered the highest losses with 58 casualties each, followed by 39 in Lumbini, 26 in Koshi, 14 in Sudurpaschim, nine in Karnali and seven in Madhesh Province.

In the given period, the number of affected families is 3,647 from 1,333 incidents. 

The highest number of affected families has been reported in Koshi as they numbered 1,212. A total of 405 incidents took place in the province. 

Similarly, 513 families have been affected in Madhesh, 471 in Bagmati, 437 in Gandaki, 326 in Lumbini, 240 in Karnali and 448 in Sudurpaschim. 

Two have gone missing in Koshi, 40 in Bagmati, three in Gandaki, two in Lumbini and one in Karnali. 

This year, human casualties have surpassed those of the previous year, which had a total of 72 casualties by this time. The NDRRMA’s CEO Anil Pokhrel said that preparedness, rescue, search, and information flow systems for disaster management are being undertaken in a coordinated way. 

Rainfall this year is exceeding the average levels as per the forecast.