Kathmandu, Oct. 9 -- The government has declared Ilam a disaster crisis zone for a period of three months. The cabinet meeting held at Singha Durbar on Thursday announced Ilam a disaster-hit district.

Following continuous rainfall on Saturday and Sunday, floods and landslides have caused massive destruction in Ilam. According to preliminary reports, 39 people have lost their lives, while 276 families have been displaced.

Of the total damage, 132 houses were completely destroyed and 401 suffered partial damage.

Among the fatalities, 37 people died after being buried by landslides, while two others were swept away by floods, officials confirmed.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from EKantipur.com....