July 14, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Sani 28, 1428

KATHMANDU: At least 26 people have been killed in landslides triggered by torrential monsoon rains in western Nepal, officials said on Friday. “Twenty one people were swept away by landslides Thursday night in three areas of Gwalichaur village,” said Surya Bhandari, the chief local official from Baglung district 180 kilometres west of the capital Kathmandu.

Six people remain missing and are feared dead after the landslides in the early hours of Friday morning, Bhandari said.

“Army helicopters have been mobilised to search for survivors,” in the remote region, the official said, adding seven houses were destroyed in the landslides.

Another five people were killed Thursday night in a landslide in Bartola village in Bajura district, 420 kilometres west of the capital, police official Binod Thapa said.

“Only two bodies have been recovered so far, but we know the other three missing people are dead,” Thapa said.—AFP