At least seven persons were killed in landslides triggered by torrential rains across the country in the past 24 hours. 

Four persons, including three of a family, were buried to death in separate incidents of landslide in Taplejung Municipality on Friday night. Dozens of cattle, goat and sheep were killed in the disaster. At least 75 families have been displaced.

Bimala Magar, 28, and her sons Manoj, 9, and Lalit, 7, died when a massive landslide buried their house in Taplejung-2, said police. The victims were sleeping when the disaster occurred. 

Security personnel and locals plucked the bodies from the debris on Saturday morning. Locals had informed police about the incident after they heard the cries of children from the buried house. Security personnel’s efforts to rescue them alive, however, went in vain. 

Similarly, a woman, who was later identified as Dil Kumari Palungwa, died after a landslide swept away her house in Taplejung-8. The victim’s sister Krishna Kumari, who sustained serious injuries, is receiving treatment at the district hospital, said police. 

According to Chief District Officer Chakrapani Pandey, 42 families of ward no. 7 have been displaced. The displaced people are taking shelter at a local school. Displaced families from Suketar, Bejambu and Khodambu have taken refuge at their relatives’ houses.

“It rained throughout Friday night. Had the villagers not moved to safer places on time, there could have been more casualties,” said Nirmala Bhattarai, a local teacher. The district received 137mm of rain on Friday night. Transportation services have come to a halt along the Taplejung stretch on the Mechi Highway. 

On Saturday, a couple was buried to death in a landslide at Kulung-9 in Bhojpur. Bharat Rai, 58, and his wife Rammani, 54, died when the landslide buried their house, said police. 

In Myagdi, a landslide claimed life of an elderly. Om Prasad Bhattachan, 72, died when the landslide buried a shed in Devisthan-5 on Saturday. 

(With inputs from correspondents in Bhojpur and Myagdi)