Heavy rain causes deadly landslides in Nepal

At least 13 dead and scores injured in landslides, just weeks after deaths of thousands in earthquakes.

Taplejung district map Nepal

At least 13 people have been killed after heavy rains led to landslides in Nepal, Al Jazeera has learnt.

Surendra Kumar Bhattarai, a local government official, said on Thursday that the landslides, which hit just weeks after twin quakes, killed more than 8,700 people and swept away a dozen houses in mountainous Taplejung district.

Nepalese news website ekantipur reported that more than 80 people had been injured in the landslides and many people were still missing.

Persistent bad weather is preventing army rescuers from being able to reach the disaster scene.

Taplejung escaped serious damage in the April 25 and May 12 earthquakes, which caused landslides and destroyed half a million homes, leaving thousands without shelter just weeks before monsoon rains.

Scores of people die every year from flooding and landslides during the monsoon season in the Himalayan nation.

Source: AFP, Al Jazeera