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Nepal closes schools as deaths from heavy rains hit 129

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By Gopal Sharma

KATHMANDU (Reuters) -Nepal has shut schools for three days after landslides and floods triggered by two days of heavy rain across the Himalayan nation killed 129 people, with 62 missing, officials said on Sunday.

The floods brought traffic and normal activity to a standstill in the Kathmandu valley, where 37 deaths were recorded in a region home to 4 million people and the capital.

Authorities said students and their parents faced difficulties as university and school buildings damaged by the rains needed repair.

“We have urged the concerned authorities to close schools in the affected areas for three days,” Lakshmi Bhattarai, a spokesperson for the education ministry, told Reuters.

Some parts of the capital reported rain of up to 322.2 mm (12.7 inches), pushing the level of its main Bagmati river up 2.2 m (7 ft) past the danger mark, experts said.

But there were some signs of respite on Sunday morning, with the rains easing in many places, said Govinda Jha, a weather forecaster in the capital.

“There may be some isolated showers, but heavy rains are unlikely,” he said.

Television images showed police rescuers in knee-high rubber boots using picks and shovels to clear away mud and retrieve 16 bodies of passengers from two buses swept away by a massive landslide at a site on the key route into Kathmandu.

Weather officials in the capital blamed the rainstorms on a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal extending over parts of neighbouring India close to Nepal.

Haphazard development amplifies climate change risks in Nepal, say climate scientists at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD).

“I’ve never before seen flooding on this scale in Kathmandu,” said Arun Bhakta Shrestha, an environmental risk official at the centre.

In a statement, it urged the government and city planners to “urgently” step up investment in, and plans for, infrastructure, such as underground stormwater and sewage systems, both of the “grey”, or engineered kind, and “green”, or nature-based type.

The impact of the rains was aggravated by poor drainage due to unplanned settlement and urbanisation efforts, construction on floodplains, lack of areas for water retention, and encroachment on the Bagmati river, it added.

The level in the Koshi river in Nepal’s southeast has started to fall, however, said Ram Chandra Tiwari, the region’s top bureaucrat.

The river, which brings deadly floods to India’s eastern state of Bihar nearly every year, had been running above the danger mark at a level nearly three times normal, he said.

(Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

Education

UNIZIK Lecturer loses life during a tragic atta3k by U G M In Anambra

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A senior lecturer with the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Dr. Osita Chinedu has been k+lled by a gang of g¥nmen.

Dr. Chinedu who hails from Nteje in Oyi local government area of Anambra State, according to an eyewitness, was sh+t dead around the High Tension area in Awka by h+odlums who trailed him to the area at about 8 pm on Monday, December 16, 2024.

The eyewitness stated that the lecturer was driving in his Toyota Corolla when the h+odlums, who were also driving in another Toyota Corolla blocked his car, jumped out of their car and went straight for him.

The source said that immediately the lecturer came out from his car to query the reason for the blockage, one of the assailants pulled out a g¥n, and fired twice, sh+ttering his head.

“Those thieves went into his car, ran the car over him before driving away with his Toyota Corolla and their own too,” the eyewitness narrated.

According to Leadership, while those people were putting the remains of the lecturer in the boot of their vehicle, a team of policemen from the Central Police Station (CPS), Awka, arrived.

The police insisted that the remains of the late lecturer be handed over to them, but his people appealed to the police to leave the body of the sl+in lecturer for them.

Spokesperson of the Anambra police command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga in a statement appealed to the management of the institution, eyewitnesses and any other member of the public who might have any information that could help to arrest the k+llers to assist with information.

“The murderers made away with his car, a Toyota Corolla 2006 model, Ash colour with an Enugu Plate number, UWN 158 AS.

 

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Education

Delta wins $400,000 Bill and Melinda Gates primary health award

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Delta State Government Thursday received $400,000 (four hundred thousand United States dollars) from the Primary Healthcare Leadership challenge organized by the Nigerian Governors forum in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for outstanding performance in primary health care management.

The award, which was organized by the Nigerian Governors Forum NGF, Federal Ministry of Health. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and UNICEF was in recognition of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s initiative in the health sector for the past one year in line with the MORE agenda of his administration.

Nigeria’s Vice President, Alhaji Kashim Shettima and chairman of the Governors Forum, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, who is also Governor of Kwara State, were present during the handover of the prize and money to Delta State officials.

Delta State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme and Director General of the Delta State Contributory Health Commission (DSCHC), Dr Isaac Akpoveta were on ground to receive the award on behalf of Governor Oborevwori.

The award, started in 2019, was to shore up performance at the primary health care level so as to make health more accessible to people at the grassroots.

It is the first time since the inception of the awards that Delta will be considered for mention in any category of recognition. It has never won any prize money.

Speaking after collecting the award on behalf of Governor Oborevwori, Dr Onojaeme said that the award was proof that the administration’s MORE agenda was on course and yielding positive results.

He disclosed that Governor Oborevwori’s determination and commitment to revamp the health sector was not in doubt, adding that the recent approval for the renovation of over 150 primary health care centers (PHCs) must have been pivotal to receiving the award.

Delta State was considered for award after a visit of the technical committee set up to assess the state of PHCs in all 36 states and Abuja, the Federal Capital.

 


The committee comprised of representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank, United Nations Food Programme (UNFPA), among others.

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Education

NYSC DG Leads Search For Missing Corps Member

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Ekwutosblog has gathered that Director-General of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brigadier General YD Ahmed, has called for collective efforts in the search for Yahaya Farouk, a corps member, who went missing in Ikuru Town, Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The NYSC chief, during his visit to the community, yesterday, urged residents, including youths and elders, to support security agencies in locating the missing corps member.

Ahmed also inspected the scene of the incident and emphasized the shared responsibility of host communities to ensure the safety and welfare of corps members serving in their domains.

He reiterated his administration’s dedication to advocate better security measures for all NYSC participants across the country.

He said: “The essence of my coming is to appeal to assist us in getting the corps member, who came for national service from another state.

“My administration will continue to appeal for adequate security and welfare of Corps members at all times. It is also the responsibility of residents of Corps members’ host communities to provide security and welfare package for corps members serving in their domain.”

At a meeting held during the visit, the Youth President, Etete Jerb Anthony, and the Ward Secretary, Paul Friday, disclosed that the community had made significant efforts to locate Farouk, who disappeared while at a Chinese mining company within the area.

Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to continue search and rescue operations.

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