National
Landslides displace over 200 families in quake-hit districts
Heavy rains have triggered landslides in the quake-affected districts of Gorkha, Dolakha, Dhading, Nuwakot, Kavre, Rasuwa and Lamjung in the past 24 hours, displacing more than 200 families.Post District Bureau
Heavy rains have triggered landslides in the quake-affected districts of Gorkha, Dolakha, Dhading, Nuwakot, Kavre, Rasuwa and Lamjung in the past 24 hours, displacing more than 200 families.
Continuous rainfall for the past two days triggered landslides in Kerauja VDC of Gorkha on Wednesday night. Officials at the District Natural Disaster Rescue Committee (DNDRC) said 13 houses were buried and more than 100 families were
displaced.
The displaced people have moved to a forest above the settlement.
“We are clearing the bushes to build shelters. We cannot return because our homes are on the landslide path,” said villager Shuk Bahadur Gurung said over phone.
The earthquake of April 2015 had also set off several landslides in the VDC.
Geologists have warned of landslides in the villages of Barpak, the epicentre of the April earthquake, Laprak, Gumda, Lapu, Manbu, Uhiya, and Sirdibas.
Shyam Kishwor Singh, chief of the Urban Development and Building Division Office, said the earthquake and its aftershocks had caused a significant soil
failure in the northern Gorkha which has increased landslide risk in the region.
“In northern Gorkha, the earthquake left several cracks in the earth. If it continues to rain heavily, the region could witness massive landslides,” he said.
In Dolakha, a landslide buried three houses and mini hydropower project in Suri on Wednesday. According to lawmaker, Parbat Gurung, three houses and the power house of Kulungkhola Hydropower Project were swept away by the landslide. Fifteen families in the village were displaced.
In Dhading, a landslide displaced 12 families in Phaleni VDC-4 while six families in Lapa village fled their homes because of landslide threat.
“We are taking shelter in a nearby cave as the landslide inches closer to our settlement,” said villager Kanchha Tamang.
Cheprang settlement of Ree VDC is also in danger of getting swept away by landslides.
In Rasuwa, a fresh landslide erupted in Rasuwagadhi area on Thursday, cutting off the road near Rasuwagadhi customs again.
A Chinese tourist, who was on his way to Kathmandu, was injured in the incident.