Floods, landslides and house collapses triggered by record monsoon rains have killed 187 persons and dozens are still missing in 23 of the kingdom’s 75 administrative districts since July 5, the Home Ministry and Radio Nepal said.

Another 47 persons have been injured, 972 families have been affected while 629 homes have been destroyed in 19 districts since July 5, the more conservative and preliminary Home Ministry reports said.

But the Home Ministry reported only 100 casualties, including 44 killed earlier this month in Khotang by landslides, in 19 districts only while the Radio report covered 23 districts.

State owned Radio Nepal quoting its network of correspondents said 94 persons were killed in Makwanpur district in floods and landslides triggered by rains since Sunday while 26 died in Kathmandu Valley.

The Valley Wednesday experienced its first sunshine in more than two days Wednesday as residents began clearing operations as flood waters began to recede. The Home Ministry has sanctioned Rs.2.5 million to distribute food and relief materials to the victims of the natural disaster.

Meanwhile, Kathmandu Valley remained cut off with the rest of the country as the Department of Roads Wednesday worked frantically to clear the Prithvi, Tribhuvan and Arniko Highways of landslide debris, officials said.

They expect to open the Tribhuvan Highway for vehicular traffic Thursday.