Floods, landslides wreak havoc in Humla, Bajura

By Our Correspondents, Sunsari/Humla/Bajura/Dolakha, Sudurpaschim and eastern regions have been severely affected by the latets monsoon floods, with multiple districts suffering extensive damage to houses, infrastructure, and agricultural land. 

The heavy rainfall caused rivers to swell, triggering flash floods that have displaced hundreds of people and led to significant economic losses.

In Humla district, the sudden onset of a massive flood in the Kabadi River, which runs through Tanjakot village, resulted in the destruction of 11 houses. 

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Shankar Pokhrel, the flood, which struck in the afternoon of Wednesday, carried debris and mud, washing away homes and agricultural land. The river, swollen by heavy rains, caused damage to both residential and farming properties.

Local authorities, who struggled to conduct an immediate assessment due to the high-water flow, were able to complete their inspection only the following morning after the water level receded.

Police Sub Inspector Padam Bahadur Karki, who led the team, confirmed that the houses in Jimana Kandagaun, a part of Tanjakot-1, were completely destroyed. 

Along with the homes, the flood also wiped-out crucial irrigation channels and farmlands, leaving the villagers, including Manbir Rithal and his family, devastated. 

According to Rithal, the flood not only destroyed their homes but also washed away their crops.

While no human casualties have been reported, the damage to property and farmland is significant. Authorities have expected the damage toll to rise further as more areas are yet to be assessed.

Ichhya village struck by flash floods, landslides

In Bajura, the situation was equally dire as flash floods and landslides wreaked havoc in Ichhya village, located in the northern part of the district. A sudden flood in the Ichhya River on Wednesday night swept through homes and public buildings, forcing residents to flee in panic. 

According to local officials, over a dozen homes, a health post, a ward office, and a local school were completely destroyed by the floodwaters.

Although there were no casualties, the flood caused extensive damage to the village's infrastructure. The community, which had already been struggling with limited resources, now faces severe disruptions in daily life. The flood also destroyed a suspension bridge that connected the village to other parts of the region, further isolating the residents.

"The flood hit our village without any warning," said Umesh Rokaya, a local resident. "People had to evacuate immediately as the waters flooded our homes. The damage to infrastructure has been massive, and we are unable to assess the total economic loss at this point," said Rokaya.

Meanwhile, the Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project has informed that the office was going to clean its reservoir on Saturday, (August 16) from 5:00 am to 8:00 pm. Due to this, there will be fluctuations in the river’s flow. The public have been advised to stay alert along the Tamakoshi River and avoid risky activities like fishing, bathing, swimming, washing clothes, or extracting sand and gravel during this time. The project also urged caution for any religious or funeral rituals near the riverbank.

(With inputs from Baburam Karki in Sunsari, Mohan Singh Budha in Humla, Sher Bahadur Sarki in Bajura and Sujan Kafle in Dolakha)