More than 300 houses at Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality and Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality in Saptari district have been inundated after floodwaters from the Koshi River entered the settlements.

According to the local administration, 300 houses of Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality and 35 houses of Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality have been waterlogged from Monday evening.

The locals said their settlements have been submerged in up to three-feet of floodwaters. Kusheshwor Yadav, a local from Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality, said most people were displaced from their homes after floodwaters swamped their homes. He blamed the government of being negligent.

“The authorities should have paid more attention when the Indian side started to construct a channel to change the course of the river two years ago,” said Yadav.

Scores of people from Banarjhula of Tilathi Koiladi also fled from their settlements after floodwaters entered their houses. Satish Kumar Singh, chairman of Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality, said the floodwaters entered the settlement when the water flow was recorded at 170,000 cusec per second on Monday evening.

At that time, 21 doors of the barrage were opened in the western part. “The settlements have been inundated due to the construction of the pilot channel. Most of the doors of the western part of the barrage were opened during the flooding,” said Singh. The rain-swollen Koshi has also threatened around 100,000 families in different parts of the district, said Dev Narayan Yadav, chairman of Koshi Victim’s Society.

Locals, security personnel from Nepal Police Force and Armed Police Force rescued people who were left in the flooding on Monday.

Chief District Officer Surendra Paudel said he sent some tarpaulins sheets to the displaced people. “The local unit has managed food and shelter for them,” said Paudel, adding that he has been talking with the Indian counterpart about the inundation.

A team of local administration also inspected the flood-affected area on Tuesday. “We have not been able to hold talks with the Indian side as high level Indian officials have not arrived here for a discussion,” said CDO Paudel.

Couple swept away

RAMECHHAP: A couple was swept away by the flooded Paiya stream at Likhu-5 in Ramechhap district on Monday. Police said the body of Lila Bahadur Tamang of Nagdaha was found at Chhapgaun in Tamakoshi Rural Municipality on Tuesday whereas his wife Ranamaya Tamang is still missing. According to the police, the couple got swept away while crossing the rain-swollen stream after providing fodder to their cattle. The body of the deceased has been sent to the District Hospital for post-mortem.