The government announces three days of mourning

The government declared a three-day mourning after floods and landslides killed at least 209 people across the country. A Cabinet meeting held on Monday evening after the return of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli from the United States of America decided to honor the victims.

Interior Minister Ramesh Lekhak informed the meeting that at least 209 people have died in the recent disasters, while efforts to search, rescue, rehabilitate and treat the injured continue.

According to a minister, the government has committed Rs 1 billion to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.

Prime Minister Oli asked ministers to submit a detailed report by Tuesday on the loss of lives and properties as well as estimates of reconstruction costs, the minister said.

The national flag will be flown at half-mast during the three days of mourning, said Minister of Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung, who is also government spokesperson.

Also, the meeting decided to hand over Rs200,000 to the families of those who died in floods and landslides. If a person goes missing and their body is not found within ten days, the person will be considered dead and their family will receive the same compensation as other victims.

The government announced free healthcare for all those injured in the disaster. According to the Interior Ministry, as many as 92 people are currently being treated in various hospitals.

Similarly, all ministers will contribute one month’s salary to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund. The meeting also discussed restoring two-lane traffic on all major highways and reducing black trading during the festive period.