National
Monsoon continues to wreak havoc
At least two people died and dozens more were displaced by floods and landslides triggered by incessant rains across the country in the past 48 hours.At least two people died and dozens more were displaced by floods and landslides triggered by incessant rains across the country in the past 48 hours.
A boy was swept away by a swollen Tawa stream in Lingkhim VDC in Taplejung on Tuesday. The incident took place while the 8th grader of Bijaya Lower Secondary School was trying to cross the flooded stream. His body was found around 200 metres downstream, police said.
In Dolakha, the headmaster of Yarsha Primary School of Jugu VDC was killed in a landslide. Police said Pushkar Khadka, 55, of Jugu-2, who was returning home on a motorcycle, died on the spot after being buried under the landmass. Khadka was riding pillion on the motorcycle. Another motorcycle rider sustained serious injuries in the incident.
A landslide buried four houses at Talladehi-8 in Baitadi and 11 more families flee their village in search of safer locations on Monday. The displaced families are taking shelter at Lekhadi Primary School building.
VDC Secretary Dambar Bista said around 56 people are staying in the school building. “The majority of the landslide victims are children, women and senior citizens,” said Bista, adding that most of the male population have been away from the district in search of jobs. The village has a population of 290.
But 41 families are living with constant fear of a possible disaster following torrential rains. “We are unsafe here,” said Nirajan Dhungal, a local. The District Red Cross Society and other organisations distributed tarpaulins and other relief materials to the affected families.
In Mugu, around two dozen houses were destroyed by floods and landslides, causing damage to property worth Rs 20 million. Chief District Officer Keshavraj Sharma said they were unable to distribute sufficient relief materials to the affected families due to lack of budget. Locals said 19 houses are at high risk of landslides at Bhattadanda and Kampha Bhiyalbada.
Meanwhile, the Karnali highway has been obstructed for the past three days due to a landslide in the Surkhet-Jumla section in Tadibhir, Kalikot.
Nar Bahadur Khatri of Pina, who was travelling from Nepalgunj to Mugu, said they had been stuck in Kalikot for three days. Some of the passengers have been crossing the road section on foot. Chief District Officer Krishna Bahadur Khadka said there were several boulders in the road section.