Bajura locals living in constant fear of quake

BY SHER BAHADUR SARKI,Bajura,Jan.1: Locals in Bajura district have been living in constant fear due to frequent earthquakes in the region.

In all nine local levels of the district, old and deteriorating houses have been severely damaged by the recurring earthquakes. As a result, residents fear that their homes might collapse while they are sleeping at night, potentially costing them their lives.

Atiram Damai, a local, said that a 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck in Gotri of Jaganath Rural Municipality on December 21. He said that the earthquake caused further cracks in his house and had been living in constant fear. 

He said, "We cannot leave our house because we do not have another place to stay and we cannot live in the house because of the fear of earthquakes. Even though it puts our lives at risk, we are staying here. We constantly worry that a big earthquake might jolt our area destroying our houses and killing us."

Damai said that even basic needs such as food and shelter were uncertain, the concerned authorities had not yet paid attention to the situation. 

The earthquake on December 21 destroyed 123 houses in the rural municipality. Vice Chair Gauri Sarki informed that the rural municipality had distributed tarpaulins at the time. 

An earthquake on April 28, 2022, completely destroyed 104 houses while  509 were partially damaged and 463 houses suffered minor damages in Himali, Budhinanda, Gaumul, Budhiganga and Khaptad Chhededaha rural municipalities and Badimalika and Triveni municipalities. This time 123 of the 509 partially damaged houses were destroyed. 

Meghnath Padhya, Chief Administrative Officer and coordinator of the District Disaster Management Committee in Bajura, informed that they had requested funds from the Ministry of Home Affairs to build temporary shelters for the affected locals. 

He stated, "Once the required funds are received, we will proceed with constructing the shelters for the earthquake victims here. For now, the only assistance provided is tarpaulins to help the earthquake victims stay in safer places."