One hundred and fifty landslide-threatened families in Chaukidanda, a settlement near Tatopani — a border point between Nepal and China, have refused to leave their homes and move to safer locations.

Some of the settlements have been rendered uninhabitable and their occupants must be relocated permanently, but many families are insisting on returning to their homes once the danger subsides, Chief District Officer of Sindhupalchok Gokarna Mani Duwadi said.

They want the guarantee of proper shelter from the government, he added.

The District Natural Disaster Rescue Committee (DNDRC) has been evacuating the landslide-risk settlements and putting them up in temporary shelters. It has so far rescued 108 people from Tatopani, Liping and Kodari Bazar to safer locations.

The rescued families have been taking shelter under makeshift shelters set up in Dashkilo, Chaukidanda and Hindi areas.

Rain-swollen Bhote Koshi River has put  several riverside settlements at flood and landslide risks. 

The river has washed away at least 66 houses in the past 10 days.

Police said the river is continuously causing land erosion in Kodari Bazaar area.

District Prison inundated

RAUTAHAT: Rautahat District Prison in Gaur was inundated after a continuous rainfall on Thursday night. The jail complex as well as cells were waterlogged, causing difficulty for inmates and the prison staff. Jailer Anita Kumari Rajlawat said the prison was built a century ago and it has not undergone any notable renovation till date. She added the building walls are full of cracks and could give way any time. The prison has 130 inmates.