National
Little hope for finding trio missing in Khimti floods
The whereabouts of three persons, who went missing in Saturday night’s floods at Khimti area in Ramechhap district, is still unknown.Tika Prasad Bhatta
The whereabouts of three persons, who went missing in Saturday night’s floods at Khimti area in Ramechhap district, is still unknown.
Security personnel and locals searched for the missing persons until late Monday afternoon, but to no avail.
Biman Tamang, his daughter Manila and Suman Khatri are still missing after the flooded Chhatiwane stream swept away five houses in the area. The bodies of two victims, Bal Kumari Khatri and Bashu Dev Karki, were recovered on Sunday.
“We scoured the entire area but there is no sign of the missing persons so far,” Deputy Superintendent of Police Kumodh Dhungel said on Monday.
Dipshikha Dahal, vice chairperson of Likhu Rural Municipality, said chances of finding the missing persons was slim.
“The extent of devastation is too large. There are huge boulders, rocks and sand covering the area, which has forced the stream to change its course. What little hope there was of finding the missing persons has further dwindled after today,” Dahal said.
Besides sweeping away homes and flooding farmland, the overnight floods also destroyed a motorable bridge and 700-metre long stretch along the Khimti-Betali road, disrupting the transport service.
Likewise, transportation has been obstructed along Khimti-Manthali section as the fresh flood in the Khanikhola stream washed away the diversion route that was built after Saturday’s flood.
The district committee of Nepal Red Cross Society and various social organisations distributed relief materials to the flood victims on Monday.