By Hemnath Khatiwada, Rasuwa, Nov. 4: The Gorkha earthquake in 2015 had destructed many houses and many families were displaced in Chilime area of Rasuwa.

The locals of Chilime, who were living in tents for the last five years, have now shifted from tents to their place by building beautiful wooden houses.

The locals have been elated to stay in a safe place five years after the earthquake destructed their shelter. It almost looks like the settlement in Thuman Tarsa of Gosainkunda Rural Municipality-1 and Chilime of Amachoding Rural Municipality-5 got a facelift.

Sunjo Tamang, a local of Deshyagaun in Gosainkunda Rural Municipality-1 had built a wooden house in Tarsa village with the help of a grant provided by the government. "The walls and roofs used to be of woods prior to the earthquake. That's why we decided to make similar houses with woods."

Another local Tashi Pasang Tamang said that only Rs. 700,000 was spent in building the wooden houses. "The labourers were brought from Okhaldhunga to construct 14 houses in the area. All of us are happy as we finally got a roof on our heads."

He added that wooden houses were warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

As the village lies in the high mountainous region, more woods have been used by the locals for the construction of houses post-earthquake to keep themselves warm.

Locals from the villages nearby also stop by to view the beautiful wooden houses, said Tamang.

Likewise, 61-year-old Chyangbadup Tamang, who had been displaced due to a landslide in Brapche, said, "The sustainable solution project helped me manage a land in Tetangche to build a house."

According to local youth, Bunima Tamang informed that lands had been managed for 14 families who were displaced in the Brapche landslide. "All of them have made wooden houses. They used to live houses made up of stones before."

Biswash Nepali, district coordinator of community independent service center, which has been facilitating in management and resettlement of the displaced earthquake victims, said, "As the weather is cold here, most of the families have built wooden houses."

It is easier and less time consuming to build a wooden house. According to Nepali, the procedure of resettlement of 14 displaced families in Thuman of Gosainkunda Rural Municipality and 84 families in Amachodingmo Rural Municipality was underway of which the majority of families had built traditional wooden houses.

"As it is expensive to build a concrete house by transporting all the construction materials from the city, it is cheaper to buy woods from a community forest nearby by paying royalty," said Bunima Tamang.

"The cost of woods have decreased post-earthquake. Thus, we decided to build a house of wood and give continuity to our tradition," said Chyangbadup Tamang.

Photos: