66 dead and dozens missing in Nepal floods

At least 66 people have died and 69 others are missing, officials say, after intense rainfall in Nepal caused flooding and landslides.

The death toll in the central Asian nation is likely to rise as the rains – which have predominantly affected the valley surrounding the capital, Kathmandu – are expected to persist through to Tuesday.

Thousands of homes situated near rivers have been flooded and most highways have been blocked, while video footage has emerged of people stranded on rooftops.

The volume of rainfall within a short timespan – over 200 mm since Friday evening – has inundated almost all rivers in the Kathmandu valley, where many of the deaths have occurred.

Landslides have also caused a number of the fatalities. Five people, including a pregnant woman and a four-year-old girl, died when a house collapsed due to a landslide in Bhaktapur, to the east of Kathmandu, state media reports.