KATHMANDU, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Nepal's hydropower plants and irrigation facilities were badly damaged in floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfalls in recent days, with an estimated initial loss of 4.35 billion Nepali rupees (32.6 million U.S. dollars).
Addressing a press meeting on Sunday, officials at Nepal's Ministry for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation said that disasters spelt by continuous rains on Friday and Saturday had caused an estimated loss of 3 billion rupees (22.5 million dollars) to hydropower and transmission projects, while river control and irrigation projects suffered an estimated loss of 1.35 billion rupees (10.1 million dollars).
According to the officials, floods had damaged 11 operating hydropower plants with a combined generation capacity of 625.96MW and forced other operating plants to shut down. As a result, 1,100MW in generation capacity was halted, nearly one-third of the total capacity of the country's operating power plants.
Fifteen hydropower plants under construction were damaged as well, it was noted.
As power plants and transmission lines were damaged, power supply in different parts of the country has been disrupted.
"Managing enough power for the country in the upcoming winter could be challenging as it takes time to maintain and repair the damaged power plants," said Kul Man Ghising, managing director of Nepal Electricity Authority.
Nepal produces surplus hydropower during the monsoon season, but in the dry season it generates around one-third of the power.
Meanwhile, the death toll from floods and landslides hit 170 by Sunday evening, the Home Ministry said in a statement. Furthermore, 111 were injured and 42 others missing, the ministry said, noting that about 4,000 victims had been rescued.
The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement that 47 of 80 national highways in Nepal had remained obstructed. ■