Rescuers in Nepal have recovered dozens of bodies from buses and other vehicles that were buried in landslides near the capital Kathmandu, as the death toll from flooding rose to at least 148 with dozens missing.
The weather improved on Sunday following three days of monsoon rains, and rescue and clean-up efforts were under way. Kathmandu remained cut off as three highways out of the city were blocked by landslides.
Rescuers retrieved 14 bodies overnight from two buses that were headed to Kathmandu when a landslide buried them. Another 23 were dug out from vehicles on Sunday on the same spot, about 15km from Kathmandu, and workers searched for others who may have been buried.
A man mourns the death of his nephew, who was found dead in Kathmandu after devastating floods. (AP PHOTO)
A statement by the Nepal police said another 101 people were injured in the flooding and landslides while 50 are missing. The death toll was expected to rise as reports come in from villages across the mountainous country.
Residents in the southern part of Kathmandu, which was inundated on Saturday, were cleaning up houses as water levels began to recede. At least 34 people were killed in Kathmandu, which was the hardest hit by flooding.
Police and soldiers were assisting with rescue efforts, while heavy equipment was used to clear the landslides from the roads. The government announced it was closing schools and colleges across Nepal for the next three days.
The monsoon season began in June and usually ends by mid-September.
