In Nepal, fifty-three people have been killed and over one hundred thousand other displaced in torrential rains and flash floods in several districts across the country.

The heavy rain mainly hit the country’s southern plains in the Terai region. Nearly forty thousand houses were badly damaged and thousands of acres agriculture land also submerged under water.

The toll is expected to rise with three dozen people reported missing. Another 17 were injured.

The heavy rain, which mainly hit the country’s southern plains, led to the evacuation of 5,000 people, a Home Ministry official said.More than 30 people were reported dead on Saturday.Army and police continued search and rescue operations, with more than 34,000 houses submerged, the official added.

“The number of dead could increase as we are still compiling the final tally,” said Laxmi Pun, an aide to Home Minister Janardan Sharma.

he Red Cross estimated 100,000 people were affected by the disaster, with one official describing how the storm had cut off communication and electricity, adding to the challenges in rescuing people and distributing aid.In the eastern city of Biratnagar, the airport was closed after the runway was submerged under more than half a metre of water.

In Nepal, the toll from this year’s monsoon – which typically lasts from late June until the end of August – has already surpassed that of last year, with more than 100 people confirmed dead.

Al Jazeera’s Subina Shreshtha, reporting from Janakpur in Nepal, said the area swamped by floods was knowsn as the bread basket of Nepal.”Some 80 percent of the crops have been damaged. It’s going to have a huge impact in the long run for the country.”

This year’s flooding has been exacerbated by dams built on the India-Nepal border, she said, adding, “A lot of water that used to go to India has been blocked. So a lot of this damage has been man made.”