LANDSLIDES, a lightning strike and floodings triggered by severe rainfall killed at least 44 people in Nepal on Sunday, with five others reported missing, authorities said.

Those killed included at least 37 people in the eastern mountain district of Illam, where whole villages were swept away by landslides, Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority said.

Several other people are still missing.

Heavy rainfall was reported since Friday in the district, which borders India and is known for growing tea.

Six people in the same family were killed when a landslide crushed their home while they slept, Illam’s assistant administrative officer Bholanath Guragai said.

Rainfall was hampering efforts to reach the villages and many roads were swept away or blocked by the landslides.

The government said helicopters were also evacuating people needing medical evacuations and ground troops were helping move people to safer areas.

One more person was killed in a landslide in a neighbouring district.

Three people in another district were killed as they were struck by lightning, while three more people died in flooding in southern Nepal.

Nepal’s government issued a severe rainfall warning in the eastern and central parts of the country from Saturday to Monday, while shutting down major motorways.

All domestic flights were grounded on Saturday by aviation authorities because of heavy rainfall and poor visibility but were reopened on Sunday.

The major motorways connecting the capital, Kathmandu, with other areas were closed by the authorities as some parts were blocked by landslides and others were shut as a precautionary measure.

By Sunday evening, one route was partially opened for traffic.

The government had declared a national holiday until Monday because of the heavy rainfall.

The weekend’s heavy rainfall arrived at the end of Nepal’s monsoon season, which usually begins in June and ends by mid-September.