Landslides obstruct Kalikot road, damage 1,495 houses

By Prem Raj Simkhada

Kalikot, Oct. 12: Surkhet-Jumla road section has come to a complete halt following incessant rains in Kalikot.

The district has witnessed continuous rain since last Wednesday. Landslides in several places have brought the Karnali Lokmarga to a complete halt. Over 50 landslides have fallen along Kalikot road section of the Karnali Lokmarga.

Local Tila River has washed away a bridge at Serighat in Kalikot road section. Even the alternative road has come to a halt. Locals have even been experiencing difficulty in crossing the road due to risk of landslide.

Local’s access to the district headquarters residing in ward numbers 1, 2, and 3 of Shubhakali Rural Municipality of Kalikot district and Khanda Chakra Municipality-2 have also been disrupted.

According to District Police Office Kalikot and information officer Shubraj Bam, the road of Serighat is the most dangerous followed by landslides in Sunarkhola, Ranchuli and Jubitha. He said that it will take time to clear the debris of the landslides.

Landslides damage 1,495 houses in Kalikot Kalikot district has been declared a food-hit district. Last Wednesday, more than 1,495 houses were damaged and more than 3,000 people were rendered homeless due to continuous torrential rains.

The meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee has decided to declare the district as food- and disaster-hit district.

Similarly, more than 667 families have been displaced. The Committee meeting has declared a food-deficient district as the rains have completely destroyed the crops and vegetables planted by the farmers.

The meeting has also decided to demand immediate and long-term relief package from the federal government through the Ministry of Home Affairs as the production of paddy, maize and millet is nil.

In the initial and first disaster affected report collection, 3,000 people have been found directly affected and 667 families rendered homeless.

The Committee’s coordinator and chief district officer, Ramhari Sharma, said that the largest loss of property and infrastructure was reported in Tilagufa Municipality.

He said that only 13 people from Ranchuli village of Tilagufa Municipality Ward No. 4 were killed and four people were injured.

He said that out of 19 missing people across the city, the bodies of two people have been found and the search for others is underway. Similarly, one person died in Shannitriveni Rural Municipality and one person died in Pachaljharna Rural Municipality. A policeman and an Indian citizen of Tilagufa Municipality were also missing, said Sharma.

Meanwhile, life in Lumbini Province has become difficult because of incessant rains. Hundreds have been displaced by floods and landslips triggered by the rains of the seven days.

Risk of landslides have increased in the hilly districts and of inundation in the Terai of the province, according to our Lumbini Correspondent.

Settlements around the Rapti River in Banke are the most affected. District Administration Office Banke informed that a preliminary data had shown that about 9,000 houses and families had been affected by the floods. 

Rapti-Sonari Rural Municipality, Narainapur Rural Municipality and Duduwa Rural Municipality, which are near the Rapti River, have suffered the most from the rain-induced disasters.

The flood has displaced 4,631 persons of 1,043 families. The displaced families are taking shelter in public buildings, roadsides and their relatives’ houses. 

Likewise, 181 houses were completely damaged and 498 houses  partially by the flood. According to the district administration office, about 900 temporary houses are required to accommodate the displaced families.

Nepalgunj Sub- Metropolitan Municipality, Kohalpur Municipality, Baijnath Rural Municipality, Khajura Rural Municipality and Janaki Rural Municipality have suffered less damages than other three local levels.

District Disaster Management Committee’s information officer Rupan Gyawali informed that more damages were being reported every other day as it has been raining regularly in the region. Moreover, the people taking shelter in tarpaulins have been exposed to a high risk of dengue and malaria.

Likewise, 34 houses are in risk of landslides in Palpa district. 

Relief to landslide victims

Meanwhile, landslide victims in Pyuthan have started getting relief goods. Due to the problem of providing immediate relief during rains and blocked roads, relief materials have started reaching the victims by opening the roads. The local municipality, Red Cross, Pyuthan Industry and Commerce Association, Lions Club of Pyuthan have started distributing relief goods.

Nabin Kumar Shrestha, Secretary of Lions Club of Pyuthan, said that relief was provided to the landslide victims of Pyuthan Municipality, Airawati Rural Municipality and Mandabi Rural Municipality.

Thirty-nine houses in Mandabi-2 Dhanchaur, 23 houses in Airawati-4 Tigrapatal have been displaced. Seven houses in Dhanchaur have been swept away by the landslide.