27 killed, 400 injured as massive rainstorm hits Nepal; army called out
Kathmandu: At least 27 people were killed and 400 others injured as a massive rainstorm hit several places in Southern Nepal on Sunday, flipping vehicles and toppling trees and electricity poles.
The rainstorm swept through villages in Bara and Parsa districts on Sunday night. According to officials, 26 were killed in Bara, 128 kilometers south of Kathmandu, while one person died in neighbouring Parsa.
High winds flipped cars and blew one passenger bus off a highway, causing fatalities. Police said other deaths were caused by collapsing walls and falling bricks in homes and toppled trees and electricity poles.
Around 400 people have been injured. According to the National Emergency Operation Centre, the injured are undergoing treatment at various health services.
Security personnel have been deployed to the affected areas for rescue and relief operations. Villagers are facing food scarcity following the incident.
According to District Police Office, Parsa, the number of casualties could see a rise as rescue efforts have gained pace
Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has expressed sadness over the loss of lives and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
The prime minister also visited the storm-hit areas.
An emergency meeting of the cabinet of Province No. 2, where the incident occurred, has been called to discuss the ways to tackle the situation.
Prime Minister's Chief Advisor Bishnu Rimal said that army personnel have been mobilised.
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Online fraud: Hotel chef from Udupi cheated of over Rs 1 lakh by WhatsApp contact
Udupi: Udupi City Police have registered a case of online fraud after a 62-year-old hotel chef was allegedly cheated of Rs 1.13 lakh by a woman who befriended him on WhatsApp, claiming to be based in London.
The victim, identified as Pandu Kariappa Poojary, a resident of Kuthpadi in Udupi, was working at a hotel in Mangaluru.
He reportedly came into contact with a woman identifying herself as Emilda William on WhatsApp. During their interactions, she told Poojary that she planned to start a cosmetics and hotel business in India and would meet him during a visit to Mangaluru.
On April 7, Emilda sent Poojary a flight ticket from London to Delhi via WhatsApp. The following day, Poojary received a phone call from a woman who informed him that Emilda had arrived at Delhi airport carrying a demand draft worth Rs 5 crore along with other items. The caller allegedly asked him to pay Rs 70,000.
Subsequently, Poojary also received a call from Emilda, who was reportedly crying and spoke about the situation. Believing the claims, he transferred a total of Rs 1,13,300 in phases using a scanner. He later realised that he had been cheated.
