Monsoon rains have continued to wreak havoc in various parts of Nepal with fresh destructive floods and landslides reported. The flash floods triggered by torrential rains on Saturday night have caused additional damage to the riverside settlements of Helambu and Melamchi areas in Sindhupalchowk district. The flooded Melamchi, Yangri, Larke rivers and other rivulets have swept away some 17 private houses, leaving many people homeless in Helambu and Melamchi areas. Nine of those houses were concrete while the remaining others thatched-roofed. The building of Radio Melamchi located in Melamchi Bazaar was also destroyed. What is more distressing is that the floods have destroyed some concrete and suspension bridges, causing further damage to vital infrastructures in the areas. The motorable bridge and the suspension bridge at Chanaute were also swept away. These bridges connected Helmabu Rural Municipality-4 and Gyalthum Bazaar.

With the vehicular movements in the areas coming to a halt, the locals are reeling from problems. The bridges were their lifeline. There is no any bridge over the Melamchi River above the Melamchi Bazaar. As many as 40 houses in Gyalthum Bazaar are also at risk of floods. However, no human fatalities have been reported this time around. The warnings issued by the local authorities and security personnel about the potential disasters are believed to have prevented human casualties in Timbu, Gyalthum and Melamchi Bazaar. Then, many people were shifted to safer places. Otherwise, the areas could witness a big loss of life. The local level representatives had an aerial view of the disaster-hit areas to assess the situation on Sunday morning. According to them, the landslip at Bremathang caused the flash flood as it blocked the flow of the Melamchi River for hours. Several roads linking Helambu and Panchpokhari Thangal villages and Melamchi and other areas have also been washed away. This has disrupted the movement of people in the entire area.

It was the second time the rain-induced disasters have dealt a blow to these areas after one and a half months. Within a week of the arrival of this year's monsoon in the country, dozens of people in these areas had been killed and many houses were either destroyed or swept away. The calamities had also caused a considerable damage to public infrastructures like the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) and many roads. The project, which had started supplying drinking water in the Kathmandu Valley some months back, requires billions of rupees and months for carrying out its maintenance.

In view of the possible frequent rain-induced disasters in Helambu and Melamchi areas, elected local representatives as well as geologists had already recommended that the people living there be relocated to safer places. Looking at similar disasters in the past, Sindhupalchowk is one of the most vulnerable districts when it comes to floods and landslides. With its fragile topography, the district witnessed many fatalities and destruction of houses in the last year's monsoon as well. Thousands of people living at the high-risk areas of the district have been awaiting resettlement in safer areas. In close coordination with the local and provincial authorities and in consultation with geologists, the government must come forward with concrete plans to minimise the impacts of natural disasters in the areas and resettle the vulnerable people.