The rain-induced disasters have so far caused damage worth over Rs 17 billion in Nepal, the government said on Tuesday, October 1, citing the preliminary details it has received so far from several ministries. The total estimation of damage to settlements, infrastructure,  food crops and livestock will be completed in a month, it said.

The preliminary details show that the agricultural sector has been hit the hardest, followed by the energy sector.  The disasters have inflicted damage worth around Rs 6 billion to the agricultural sector alone.

Similarly, the destruction in the energy sector totals to Rs 4 billion, drinking water infrastructure Rs 3.55 billion and the irrigation sector Rs 1 billion, according to the government. The floods, landslides and inundation inflicted damage to 16 hydel projects in operation with total installed capacity 667.93 MW, 18 under construction with total installed capacity 1139.19 MW and five major transmission lines.

Of the 21 districts affected by the disasters, Kavre, Lalitpur, Dhading, Kathmandu, Sindhupalchok, Sindhuli and Makwanpur were the hardest hit. At least 224 people have lost their lives and 158 been injured so far, while 24 have gone missing.

More than 4,000 individuals have been rescued and relocated to safer places, the government said. A total of 30,731 security personnel from Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force were mobilised for the search and rescue works.

The government has also informed that of the 37 highways obstructed in the disasters, nine have reopened for vehicular movement. The work to install bailey bridges at places where floods washed away the bridges  connecting major road sections will be initiated soon.

While the government said it has already started providing cash relief to families of those individuals killed or missing in the disasters, it added that the rescue works would be completed in the next two days.