By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Sept. 25: At least 14 people were killed, seven others went missing and three injured in landslides and floods triggered by incessant rains in different parts of the country on Thursday.
According to Joint Secretary and spokesperson Murari Wosti of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Authority (NDRRMA), Singha Durbar, 10 people were killed in two separate landslides in Syangja district, and one each in Palpa, Baglung, Dhankuta and Kapilvastu districts.
Reports of human casualty and property were received mainly from Syangja, Palpa, Baglung, Kapilvastu and Dhankuta districts, Joint Secretary Wosti said.
He said 10 people were killed and one was rescued in a landslide at Tamadi village of Waling Municipality-14 and one in Kaligandaki Village Municipality-4 of the same district. Nine were killed at Tamadi village.
Nine members of the same family were killed and one was injured when a landslide buried their house in Tamadi early Thursday morning, he said.
The deceased were identified as Umakala Nepali, 28, Maya Nepali, 48, Deepak Nepali, 30, Soni Nepali, 60, Bibash Nepali, 9, Binida Nepali, 19, Kuldeep Nepali, 21, Bikram Nepali, 14, and an unidentified six-month male, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rajendra Prasad Adhikari of Syangja said.
Manisha Nepali, 16, was, however, rescued alive from the rubble although her other family members died in the disaster.
Stating that the injured Manisha is undergoing treatment at Gandaki Medical College, Pokhara, DSP Adhikari said her condition was serious.
All of them died in the same place except daughter (Manisha) of the Nepali family who slept together after dinner.
A team comprising locals, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force rescued nine people from the disaster site.
Similarly, 17-year-old Bishnu Pariyar, son of Baburam, when a landslide occurred after incessant rains at 4 Birgha Gautam Tole of Kaligandaki Rural Municipality-4, said an official. The landslide hit the house of Pariyar while he was sleeping in it while the condition of others in the house is normal.
Meanwhile, a woman died and five members of a family went missing in Rambha Rural Municipality-2, Belanjna and Surungdanda of Palpa district after a massive landslide triggered by incessant rainfall buried two houses on Wednesday night.
According to the District Police Office, Palpa, 27-year-old Motisara Gaha, of Surungdanda, died when the landslide crushed her. However, Gaha’s husband and a son were able to escape the landslide that occurred at 1:30 a.m. on Wednesday night.
Also, in Belanja, when the landslide hit the house of Hum Bahadur Gaha last night, his wife Dhanishara, daughter Krishna, two granddaughters Khusi and Laxmi, were missing.
A spokesperson at Rambha Rural Municipality Krishna Prasad Regmi said search and rescue efforts had come to a halt as the landslide continued due to the incessant rainfall.
Similarly, five persons were injured as a landslide triggered by incessant rains buried three vehicles at Bhattedanda along the Kanti Lokpath in Lalitpur district on Thursday morning. According to the Lalitpur Metropolitan Police Range, the landslide, which occurred at Bhattedanda, buried two tippers and a motorcycle. Of the injured, one is critical, while the rest are out of danger, Lalitpur Police Office said.
Tinau River erodes riverbanks
Tinau River in Butwal of Rupandehi has started eroding the riverbanks after the flow in the river increased posing a high risk of inundation in human settlements. The riverbanks adjacent to settlements in Butwal-11 in Buddhanagar, Majhgaun, Majhuwa ward no. 17 have been cut and water has started entering the settlements.
Major rivers cross danger level
Flood Forecasting Division at Department of Hydrology and Meteorology issuing flood bulletin on Thursday said water levels in Narayani, West Rapti, Babai, and its tributaries, and Karnali, Mahakali, Koshi, Kankai, Kamala, and Bagmati may cross danger level at any time on Thursday and Friday.
(With inputs from Arjun Kalfe from Syangja and other correspondents from State 5 Bureau)