Ilam grapples with impact of floods and landslides

By Prem Adhikari,Ilam, Oct. 11: Following the devastating floods and landslides that struck on the night of October 4, 2025, rescue, relief and reconstruction efforts have begun across Ilam district. 

Local governments and concerned authorities have been actively involved in these operations in the areas most affected by the disaster.

The floods and landslides, which claimed 39 lives, caused severe damage to major roads, including the Mechi Highway, as well as other local roads connecting various municipalities. 

According to Chief District Officer (CDO) Sunita Nepal, work is underway at full pace to reopen the Mechi Highway and local roads. The Road Division Office is handling the restoration of the Mechi Highway, while the respective local governments are repairing the municipal-level roads.

After days of hardship, daily life in Ilam is gradually returning to normal. Under the coordination of the District Administration Office, all municipalities, the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, and Nepal Police have been mobilised in the affected areas. Various organisations and institutions have also joined in to support the response efforts.

The District Administration Office has urged that all relief distribution be carried out through a one-door system. Organisations and individuals providing aid have been requested to coordinate with the respective municipalities before distributing relief materials to the affected families.

Representatives from several organisations have started visiting the homes of flood and landslide victims to deliver relief materials. The Koshi Province government has also been sending relief supplies to the district, including blankets, mattresses, pillows, rice, oil, salt, turmeric, and potatoes, which are being distributed at the municipal level, according to the District Administration Office.

Municipalities have classified the affected families and are distributing immediate relief door to door.

Kedar Thapa, Mayor of Ilam Municipality, said that only after arranging food and shelter for the displaced families can long-term recovery plans be implemented. Municipalities have announced that they will provide Rs. 200,000 in relief to the families of those who lost their lives in the disaster.

Suryodaya Municipality has already provided the announced relief amount to the families of the deceased. Mayor Ran Bahadur Rai said that work in the most severely affected areas has begun in the first phase. Other municipalities are also in the process of distributing relief funds. Additionally, the Koshi Province government has announced Rs. 100,000 in relief per deceased family.

Displaced families are currently taking shelter in nearby schools or with neighbours.

According to Krishna Paudel, President of the Ilam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, there is currently no shortage of food grains or LPG gas in the district. He assured that even if shortages arise, essential goods will be transported up to Maikhola and carried manually if needed, to ensure the supply of food and other necessities.

Assistant Chief District Officer Bhola Nath Guragai informed that diesel and petrol stocks are sufficient until Saturday. Similarly, the District Health Office has reported that medicines are still available across the district.

Chief of the Ilam Health Office, Aditya Shakya, said that the office has been sending medicines requested by the municipalities. However, he warned that water contamination and damaged sources have increased the risk of disease outbreaks.

Due to landslides damaging the water pipelines, drinking water shortages have become severe in Suryodaya and Ilam municipalities. Around 108 houses are fully destroyed in various municipalities.  

Challenges on the Mechi Highway

The Mechi Highway, which has long been a lifeline for the people of Ilam, was not spared this time. Landslides damaged sections of the road, preventing vehicle movement from Mechi to Ilam and onward to Panchthar and Taplejung. Pawan Bhattarai, Chief of the Ilam Division Road Office, said that work was underway to restore three major sections of the highway with the goal of resuming traffic operations by Friday.

Geotechnical expert Dr. Madhusudan Acharya is also studying the road to assess structural stability. Bhattarai said that in the Rajduwali section, only temporary road access is possible, and a long-term solution will require more extensive work. 

He added that there is no alternative route to operate both small vehicles and larger supply trucks to Ilam headquarters. The office estimated that landslides alone caused over Rs. 3 billion in damage to the Mechi Highway, with the entire Mechi Corridor roads suffering more than Rs. 500 million in losses.

Reopening rural roads

Landslides disrupted road connections between local municipalities. Many roads linking Ilam headquarters and surrounding municipalities were completely blocked. Municipal efforts to reopen these roads are now in the final stages.

The blockages had also prevented the transport of essential supplies. Roads connecting Sandakpur, Maijogmai, Faksipokthum, Mangsibung, Ilam Municipality, and Deumai Municipality were severed. Tularam Gurung, Chair of Sandakpur Rural Municipality, reported that the Deurali-Ilam Road has now been reopened through continuous repair efforts.

Deumai Municipality has repaired the Shandida-Ilam Road and the Gagrebhanjyang-Belase road, restoring traffic flow. Maijogmai Rural Municipality has also repaired its main road to Ilam headquarters. 

Similarly, Suryodaya Municipality repaired the road from Fikkal to Maijogmai and the Mayu River bridge, reopening access, according to Rajkumar Limbu, Coordinator of the Environment and Disaster Management Branch.

Deputy Chair Praveena Rai of Maijogmai Rural Municipality said that although municipal roads to the centre are operational, limited resources mean rural road access will take more time to restore. 

Bridges connecting Mangsibud and Phaksipokthum Rural Municipalities were destroyed, leaving these areas inaccessible. Suryodaya Municipality has restored roads in all 14 wards, with support from the Nepali Army and Armed Police Force.

Continuous rainfall damaged two permanent bridges, five motorable bridges and one suspension bridge in Ilam. The flood destroyed a permanent bridge over the Mai River connecting Ilam Municipality-11 (Soyak) and Mai Municipality-9 (Chisopani) along the Mechi Corridor (Kechana-Kanchenjunga Road).

Prabidhi Yadav, Chief of the Ilam Electricity Authority, has deployed 20 to 25 teams in the field to restore power across the district. By Friday, electricity had been restored to most areas in all 10 municipalities, though some issues remain. 

Yadav reported that floods and landslides damaged 213 poles of 11,000-volt lines and five transformers, causing losses exceeding Rs. 200 million so far.

Temporary shelter construction

In Ilam Municipality-10 (Godak, Tapu area), temporary shelters are being built for approximately 43 displaced families. The Risk Shelter Nakm organisation, in coordination with the ward office and the Nepali Army, has begun construction of temporary housing. Emergency shelters have already been handed over to affected families.

Pralad Ghale, Chief of the Ran Shardul Battalion, stated that temporary shelters are being built in Tapu and will also be constructed in Walan Gaun, Pyang, Sandakpur, and other areas. 

Local municipalities and organisations are also contributing to building shelters, and local youth are volunteering to help reconstruct damaged structures across the district.