Three persons died while five others went missing after many parts of Siraha, Sunsari and Jhapa districts were hit by severe floods caused by torrential rainfall in the past 24 hours.

One Manoj Yogi of Bardibas died after he was swept away by flooded Kamal River at Badahadamal in Siraha on Sunday evening. Three others are missing in the incident, said police.

In Jhapa, two persons—Anuj Neupane and Ekendra Khadka of Gauradaha— died while two others went missing after they were caught in a flooded Geuriya stream.

A woman identified as Sunita Karki, of Itahari in Sunsari, is missing after she was swept away by the flooded Dudh stream.

Floods in various eastern districts for the past couple of days have displaced hundreds of people. They are in need of immediate relief supplies. The flood displaced people from Hasanda and Amardaha villages in Morang are suffering from various diseases.

According to the office of Nepal Red Cross Society in Jhapa, floods have displaced as many as 57 families in the district. Nearly 40 houses have been destroyed and 17 others have suffered damages, the office said.

Meanwhile, the Sunsari district administration has heightened security at Koshi Barrage at the request of Indian officials at bordering Supaul district in Bihar.

Sources said the Indian side asked the Sunsari authorities to ramp up security at the barrage following a rumour that some terrorist organisations were planning to target the flood barrier on Nepal’s largest river to  instigate a flooding disaster in Bihar.

(With inputs from local correspondents)