Father and son killed in landslide in Taplejung

A father and his son were killed in a landslide at Mehele of Sidingwa rural municipality of Taplejung district today.

Suresh Rai, 36, died in the landslide while his 67-year-old father Keshav Bahadur Rai, who had gone missing since the disaster occurred this morning, was found dead later, according to the District Police Office, Taplejung.

Kusaram Karki, Information Officer and Police Inspector at the District Police Office, Taplejung, confirmed the death of the father-son duo in the landslide taken place at Muku Bhangyanj of Mehele.

Similarly, preparation is underway to airlift Raj Kumar Rai, 45, who was seriously hurt in the disaster, shared Police Inspector Karki.

Various districts in the eastern part of the country have been hit hard by monsoon-induced natural disasters such as flood and landslide due to incessant rain since the arrival of this year's monsoon on June 15.

Meanwhile, three people have been out of contact since a flood in Sidingwa in the district. The trio were learned to have been stranded and sheltering in a cave following the flood. They are Denish Gurung, 23, and his spouse Anita Rai and their two and a half year old daughter. They were the residents of Surumkhim of Sidingwa rural municipality.

The helicopter of Nepali Army was flown for the rescue operation of the missing ones on last Sunday but no avail due to adverse weather, informed Laxman Tamang, ward chairperson of ward no 7 in Sidingwa rural municipality.

Rescue operation continues today as well, according to Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai, a parliamentarian from Taplejung. ---