Kathmandu, Sep 7: A national day of mourning is being observed on Monday in Nepal in honour of those who lost their lives in the devastating flood that struck the Bhote Koshi River in Rasuwa district on August 26.

A Cabinet meeting held on September 3 decided to observe a national day of mourning on Monday in honour of those who lost their lives in the deadly floods, which occurred 13 days ago.

The national flag was flown at half-mast at government offices across Nepal, as well as at Nepali embassies and diplomatic missions abroad.

According to the Nepal Police, as many as 1,353 bodies of people who died in the floods had been recovered by Sunday evening.

According to the latest details, the recovered bodies include 530 men and 328 women, while 495 bodies were recovered in parts and remain unidentified.

Police said 3,992 people remain out of contact, including 595 foreign nationals.

Police said 1,044 of the recovered bodies have been safely buried, while the identification and management of the remaining bodies are underway.

Meanwhile, Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah has urged elderly people affected by the floods not to feel that they are alone, assuring them that the state and government stand firmly with them.

Issuing a message on social media on Monday, Prime Minister Shah said, “You are not alone. The state is with you, and the government is with you.”

In an emotional statement, Prime Minister Shah noted that during the floods, some elderly parents had to flee to higher ground while clutching their grandchildren with trembling hands, without even caring about their own lives.

They were forced to endure such difficult circumstances in the later years of their lives, he said.

“Even legs that could barely move two steps without the support of a walking stick found extraordinary strength at that moment to save their children,” he added.

Security agencies have continued search and rescue operations for people who remain out of contact, particularly at hydropower projects along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river corridors.

According to the Independent Power Producers’ Association, Nepal (IPPAN), a representative body of private-sector power developers in Nepal, as many as 919 people employed at 11 hydropower projects remained out of contact as of Sunday evening.

There have been a few successful rescues of people alive from some hydropower projects, including two Nepali nationals from the 60-MW Upper Trishuli 3A project on September 4 and a Chinese national from the 216-MW Upper Trishuli-1 project on September 5.

New Delhi, Sep 7: The Delhi Police have issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against building owner Hariram Bansal following the fatal collapse of the five-storey building in Satya Niketan, as investigations into the incident and responsibility for the tragedy continue.

Police registered an FIR against Bansal and others in connection with the building collapse on Sunday. According to police, the structure was being used as a paying guest (PG) accommodation, and renovation work was allegedly underway in the basement when the building suddenly collapsed.

The five-storey building, known as ‘Hostel Daze’, was operating as a boys’ PG, and several students were staying at the premises when the incident took place. An adjacent building also collapsed, according to eyewitnesses, adding to concerns over the safety and structural condition of buildings in the area.

At least six people have lost their lives in the incident, while five others have been rescued, and the search for those still trapped in the debris is underway at the building collapse site.

A large number of students are feared to be among those trapped in the rubble, as several students from nearby Delhi University colleges were reportedly residing in PG accommodations in the area.

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta revisited the collapse site on Monday morning to take stock of the safety measures and review the ongoing rescue and related operations following the tragedy.

The Chief Minister said that an FIR had been registered against the building owner and made it clear that strict action would be taken against Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials if they were found responsible for negligence or lapses in the matter.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), directives have also been issued for the immediate sealing of illegal five-storey buildings across Delhi as part of measures to prevent similar incidents and ensure compliance with safety norms.

“Intensive inspections of nearby PGs and buildings; sealing to follow if violations are found. The Chief Minister made it clear that there would be no compromise on the safety of Delhi’s residents and that no one would be spared in cases of negligence,” the CMO said.

The authorities have stepped up scrutiny of buildings and PG accommodations in the vicinity following the collapse, with inspections aimed at identifying possible violations and taking action wherever required.

Meanwhile, a petition concerning the Satya Niketan building collapse has also been filed before the Delhi High Court, seeking judicial intervention in connection with the incident and the safety concerns arising from it.

The Delhi High Court has assured that the petition will be heard on Monday itself.

Patna, Sep 6: The flood situation in Bihar remained serious on Sunday as rising water levels in several rivers affected nearly 16.85 lakh people (1.685 million) across 11 districts of the state, even as relief and rescue operations are being carried out continuously by the administration in the affected areas.

According to official figures, the flooding has affected 61 blocks and 300 gram panchayats across 11 districts. Authorities have intensified relief measures to provide food, shelter and other essential assistance to people impacted by the floods.

As part of the ongoing relief operations, 80 community kitchens are currently functioning in the flood-affected districts. So far, around 1.21 lakh people have been provided meals through these centres. In addition, one relief camp is operational, providing accommodation, food, medical assistance, and other essential facilities to 326 flood-affected people.

To provide immediate relief to affected residents, authorities have distributed around 45,900 polythene sheets and 11,700 dry ration packets so far. To facilitate the evacuation and movement of people in flood-hit areas, a total of 1,158 boats are currently being operated across the state.

In view of the possibility of further flooding, 27 State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and seven National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in different districts to undertake rapid relief and rescue operations.

According to Water Resources Department data recorded between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Sunday, the Ganga remained above the danger mark at several major locations in Bihar.

At Buxar, the Ganga was recorded 0.08 metres above the danger mark, although the water level was showing a declining trend. At Dighaghat in Patna, the level was 1.54 metres above the danger mark, while at Gandhighat, it was 1.96 metres above and at Hathidah, 1.74 metres above the danger mark. The water level at Gandhighat was stable, while Hathidah recorded a rising trend.

At Munger, the Ganga was 0.51 metre above the danger mark and continued to rise. At Sultanganj, the level was 2.01 metres above the danger mark, while at Bhagalpur it was 0.65 metres above it. The river also remained above the danger mark at Kahalgaon.

Meanwhile, in Prayagraj and Varanasi, the Ganga remained below the warning level. The water level was rising in Prayagraj, while a declining trend was recorded in Varanasi.

Barrage discharge data showed that at 9 a.m. on September 6, the Sone Barrage at Indrapuri was releasing 2,27,739 cusecs of water, with the flow showing a declining trend. The Kosi Barrage at Birpur recorded a discharge of 1,68,400 cusecs, which remained stable. The Gandak Barrage at Valmikinagar was releasing 1,29,000 cusecs, with the discharge also reported to be stable.

Meanwhile, the Bihar Meteorological Service Centre has forecast light to moderate rainfall at several places across the state over the next two days. Heavy rainfall is also possible at some locations.

In view of the possibility of further rainfall and a corresponding rise in river water levels, authorities have been kept on alert to undertake relief and rescue operations. The state government and district administrations are closely monitoring the situation in flood-affected areas, with relief materials, boats and rescue teams being deployed as required.