Landslides Bury Nepal Villages

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) -- Landslides in a mountain area of Nepal buried three villages Thursday, killing at least 20 people, authorities said.

Nepal's National Emergency Operation Center said the landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall in the village at Lumle, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Kathmandu, where rescuers pulled out 14 bodies.

An Associated Press cameraman saw police and army rescuers digging through piles of debris in search of at least 11 more people.

Continuing rain was hampering the rescue. The highway linking the village with Pokhara, the main city in the region, was blocked at several places, delaying rescuers. Bad weather also prevented helicopters from flying.

Another five bodies were pulled out of nearby Dudhe village on Thursday, where two bridges were washed away.

One more person was killed in the neighboring Baglung district, where the death toll was expected to rise.

Heavy monsoon rains in Nepal often trigger landslides in mountains and flooding in southern plains.

The devastating earthquake in April that killed nearly 8,900 people had set off many landslides and officials fear that the heavy rainfall would trigger more.

(KA)