Landslides, a lighting strike and flooding 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 from 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.

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 highways.

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

The major highways 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.

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