Bajura earthquake victims still living in cracked houses

BY SHER BAHADUR SARKI

Bajura, June 24: Several earthquake victims are still living in cracked houses in Bajura.  Two earthquakes-- on January 24 and October 2, 2023—jolted Bajura damaging many houses. 

Jeet Sarki, a local from Chhededaha Rural Municipality-5, said that despite the cracks caused by the earthquakes, they had no option but to live in the run-down houses as there had been no reconstruction efforts.

He said, "Although we managed to stay in the earthquake-damaged house in winter. Now, with the rainy season approaching, we fear the house might collapse, and we may end up buried under it. Neither do we have money to build a new house ourselves, nor do we have any other place to take shelter."

Although the names of the victims were registered for the reconstruction of the houses which were at risk due to the earthquake, they are still forced to live in the cracked houses due to the lack of reconstruction, Sarki said.

Most of the houses in Gaumul, Himali, Budhiganga and Badimalika, among other areas, developed cracks in the earthquakes of January 24, 2023. Locals said that the earthquake on October 2 further caused damage to the already cracked houses. 

In most of the villages, houses are typically constructed from mud and stone. The earthquakes in January and October last year caused significant damage to these houses. Although the locals have been living in these cracked houses, risking their lives, they are now particularly worried about the rainy season as there has been no reconstruction. 

According to the Bajura district branch of the Red Cross, repeated earthquakes in 2023 and 2024 completely destroyed 1,400 houses whereas more than 3,500 houses developed cracks. 

Meanwhile, the District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) of Bajura informed that 1,980 houses were completely destroyed.

The DDMC had tasked the local authorities with providing accurate data on the number of houses damaged by the earthquakes. 

Accordingly, the local authorities collected data on damaged houses in each ward and sent it to the DDMC. Bhima Kant Paudel, coordinator of the DDMC Bajura and Chief District Officer of the Bajura District Administration Office, said that the current problem in housing construction was due to the lack of precise data from the local levels. He said, "Bajura has received 

Rs. 1 4 million for the construction of temporary housing for earthquake victims. The ministry has also sent a template for temporary housing construction.” 

According to Paudel, some local authorities have started constructing shelters after receiving the first instalment of funds for the reconstruction of temporary houses, while others have returned the allocated funds.

He said that the housing construction programme was facing significant challenges due to the lack of precise data on the actual number of earthquake victims at the local level.