The Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa has swept away branches of nine commercial banks, with around 26 employees still out of contact, according to the Nepal Bankers’ Association.

The affected banks are Machhapuchchhre, Nabil, Sanima, Laxmi Sunrise, Himalayan, Prabhu, Global IME, Nepal Investment Mega and NMB Bank.

Association chairman Santosh Koirala said around 26 employees working at the affected branches had not yet been contacted.

“Many employees could not be contacted because telephone services have been disrupted,” Koirala said. “We have just received information that all Nabil Bank employees are now in contact. As telephone services gradually improve, we expect to reach the remaining employees as well.”

The association said the disruption of telephone services and electricity in the affected areas had hampered efforts to establish contact with bank employees.