August 18: Thousands of people affected by the recent floods and landslides took the benefit of the free SMS service provided by Nepal Telecom by sending over 11.2 million SMSs during the natural disaster.

Nepal Telecom had provided the free service from August 13-15 to help in rescue and relief of the victims, informed the state-owned telecommunication company.

Nepal Telecom said it provided the free service under its corporate social responsibility to help the flood and landslide victims stay in touch with their family and friends.

Likewise, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology sent 468,000  SMSs using the network of Nepal Telecom to alert the mass about the floods.

Issuing a press statement on August 17, Nepal Telecom said that the floods have affected telecommunication equipment in eastern and central regions of the country. Nepal Telecom further informed that it has already repaired 91 percent of the telecommunication equipment damaged by the floods and landslides.

The statement further said that the telecommunication service has been partly affected by the damages caused by the floods and the lack of electricity in the aftermath of the calamity.