At least 60 people have died while 41 have gone missing in floods and landslides in the last four days in various parts of Nepal. Myagdi District of Western Nepal is the worst affected with 27 deaths. Search and rescue operations are underway with officials and police personnel looking through the debris to find the missing people. Hundreds have been displaced in the district as landslides have swept away their homes. They have now taken refuge in local schools and community centres.
Mansuwa BK, who is now taking shelter at a local school in Bim of Myagdi District told ANI that the child is just six months old. They are taking shelter in the school. In their family, the child and she are the only survivors. She held him in her hands and then ran from her house as the landslide came down. Landslides and floods are a common phenomenon in the Himalayan nation during the monsoon season.
Thamsara Pun, Village Council Chair of Dhaulagiri Village Council of Myagdi, which is affected by the landslide said that in the first phase they rescued the injured which took them around 30-35 hours to complete. Now they were continuing their search operation for the missing ones who are believed to have been buried in the debris and identification of those who are dead and making arrangements for their cremation, two of their wards have been completely swept away due to the landslide.
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As of July 12, about one thousand people have been displaced from their homes and have taken shelter in nearby schools and are relying on the support of donors. Chief District Officer of Myagdi District, Gyannath Dhakal told ANI that no one is helpless in his area for now – all affected have been shifted to schools and community buildings. The search operation is underway involving 70-80 security personnel and it is towards the end and the work of providing relief has also started.
Nepal’s Meteorological Forecasting Division earlier this week had predicted heavy downpour for the first three days of this week across the country. In the bulletin, the Division had warned of monsoon being near the low-pressure line in the Terai belt, which would consequently cause rainfall.
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