By Nabin Sishir BK, Baglung, Sept. 6: The communication and roadway services in Bowang of Dhorpatan Municipality-9 has been obstructed due to the flooding in Bhujikhola on Wednesday night.

Four days after the disaster hit the village, the flood victims of Bowang, who lost their family members and shelter, still have not been able to connect with their families and relatives over phone.

The Dhorpatan Municipality observed a huge loss including human casualties and physical damages due to the flood. The Bowang area has been out of electricity after the flood swept away the power house and canal of micro-hydels in the area. 

Dhan Prasad Pokharel, chief administrative officer of Dhorpatan Municipality, said. “Although the Nepal Telecom in Arnakot has been receiving partial electricity supply, the telecommunication services in the Bowang were obstructed due to the absence of electricity supply in the area.” 

The flood has completely damaged 11 micro hydroelectricity projects in the area. “The victims are in search of their relatives to share their grief,” said Sekhar Khadka, chairman of All Nepal National Independent Students Union, Baglung.

“Phones of majority of flood victims have been switched off since Thursday morning, thereby causing difficulty in communication and coordination for rescue, search and relief,” said Pokharel.

Those who are deployed in rescue operation are charging their phone through generator and solar energy, said Police Inspector Prakash Singh Bhandari of Area Police Office, Burtibang.

Not only from communication, have the roadway leading to Bowang has also been obstructed after the landslide occurred in the road seven kilometres ahead of Burtibang Bazaar.

The Dhorpatan-Saljhandi road section, which leads to Bowang, has also been obstructed due to the landslide. “Due to the landslide, we are facing difficulties to transport relief materials to the victims,” said Devkumar Nepali, mayor of Dhorpatan Municipality.

We are trying to clean out the obstruction to send relief to Bowang as soon as possible, mayor Nepali added.

“The flood has claimed 16 lives and 22 are still missing. Some 518 people have been displaced after the flood swept away 93 houses. Two bodies were recovered on Saturday,” said inspector Bhandari.

The body recovered on Saturday at Badigadh stream in Chandrakot Rural Municipality-9, Gulmi was of a 22-day-old infant, Rajan BK, of Dhorpatan-9, said the inspector.

Although the Nepal Police, Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, youths and locals have been conducting the search operation from Wednesday, the status of the missing people has not been ascertained yet.

According to the latest report of the police, Narayan BK, 24, Tekmaya BK, 20 and her one-year-old daughter, Manisha BK, 16, Chini BK, 28, Roshan BK, 10, Rabu BK, 5, a 15-day-old infant, Manakumari BK, 26, Kumari BK, 29, Samundra BK, 14, Jit Bahadur Gharti, 30, Raju Gharti, 44, Prakriti Pun,  4, Hem Bahadur BK, 35, Ujeli BK, 34 and her 10-months-old baby and Hastamaya BK, 28 of Bowang, Ghattechaur, Bhusunde and Sano Kugu have gone missing in the flood.

Likewise,  the situation of Tulmati Gharti, 65, of Dunepadhera, Kaushila Pun, 56 of Lakuribot and her 21-year-old son Bishal Pun of Lakuribot, Dhanamaya BK, 26, of Powerhouse and her two-year-old son Mohan BK and Nabin Bhandari of Galkot Municipality-4, is still unknown, said inspector Bhandari.