Floods triggered by heavy rains in the past few days have wreaked havoc in various parts of the country.

At least four people died, 17 houses were swept away and dozens of houses were waterlogged in separate incidents of monsoon-induced disasters in Rupandehi and Makwanpur districts on Friday night and Saturday.

The rain-swollen Rapti river entered Durganagar in Butwal Sub-metropolis Ward No. 12 and swept away 40-year-old Bishnu Rai on Friday night, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Pratit Singh Rathaur.

“Her body was recovered at Chankipur in Butwal-15 on Saturday morning,” he said.

According to the Area Police Office in Butwal, the floods in Tinau, Danab and other rivers in Rupandehi swept away 17 houses and damaged 24 others in the past 24 hours. Six people sustained injuries while around 100 houses were inundated in the disaster.

Police said five persons were injured when the floods in the Danab river destroyed the house of Prabhawati Mallaha in Debandi settlement of Sammarimai Rural Municipality. Khadga Bahadur Khatri, the spokesperson at the District Police Office in Rupandehi, said the injured were receiving treatment at Bhim Hospital in Bhairahawa. Similarly, a woman was injured when her house collapsed in Lumbini Sanskritik Municipality-13. She was taken to a neighbouring Indian town for treatment.

Similarly, the flooded Tinau river entered a settlement in Butwal-17 and swept away six houses. As many as 36 families have been displaced by the inundation.

In Butwal-4, the floodwaters from Chure hill swept away three houses in Gairiguan and displaced 16 households.

Likewise, the flooded Sukhaura stream swept away four houses in Tilottama Municipality of Rupandehi. According to the District Police Office, the floods damaged 15 houses in Marchawari Rural Municipality, five houses each in Omsatiya Rural Municipality and Lumbini Sanskritik Municipality and four houses in Mayadevi Rural Municipality.

The flooded Tinau and Danab rivers have wreaked havoc in several settlements of Sammarimai, Mayadevi, Marchawari, Kotihima and Lumbini Sanskritik and inundated hectares of paddy fields in the area. According to Jitendra Nath Shukla, chairman of Sammarimai Rural Municipality, wards 3, 5 and 7 were hardest hit by the floods.

“Around 40 families have been displaced by the floods. They are now taking shelter in the houses of their relatives and neighbours,” said Shukla, adding that the local body would distribute reliefs to the flood victims on Sunday.

Chief District Officer Pitambar Ghimire, who is also the chairman of the District Disaster Management Committee, said several settlements were affected, as the floods damaged many houses and paddy fields.

“We will assess the damage soon and provide relief to the victims,” Ghimire said.

In Makwanpur, three persons were swept away in separate incidents of floods on Saturday. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Sushil Singh Rathour, Priyanka Soni of Birgunj was swept away by the Trikhandi stream in Bhimphedi. Likewise, the flooded Chaukitar stream in Kailash and Jyamire stream in Hetauda swept away two persons. Police identified the deceased as Dhawa Syangtan of Kailash and Putalimaya Ghalan of Hetauda-19.