Prime Minister Sushila Karki said government agencies were “fully prepared for rescue and relief”.
“Your safety is our utmost concern. Do not hesitate to seek necessary assistance,” she said in an address, adding that the government has declared Sunday and Monday public holidays and urged people not to travel unless necessary.
Across the border in India, at least 20 people were killed in the tea-growing hill district of Darjeeling in West Bengal state after heavy overnight rain unleashed flash floods and landslides that destroyed homes and infrastructure.
“In the wake of last night’s heavy cyclone in the Darjeeling hills, over 20 people have lost their lives,” said Harsh Vardhan Shringla, a lawmaker in India’s upper house.
Footage on Indian television news showed rescue workers using cables to access cut-off regions as raging waters smashed into bridges and caved in roads.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “pained by the loss of lives”.
“The situation in Darjeeling and surrounding areas is being closely monitored in the wake of heavy rains and landslides,” he said in a statement on social media.
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