By Aashish Mishra
Kathmandu, July 11: Floods and landslides have a caused more than Rs. 62 million in damages since April 14.
As per the data provided by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), floods have caused an estimated loss of Rs. 55,342,500 and landslides have caused a loss of Rs. 6,941,500 since the start of this Nepali year.
Meanwhile, monsoon-induced disasters continue to claim lives all over the country.
According to the NDRRMA’s daily bulletin, two people lost their lives -- one in Rautahat and one in Tanahun -- in a period of 24 hours from 10 am Friday to 10 am Saturday.
The deceased are nine-year-old Khusbu Kumari Patel of Yamunamai Rural Municipality–1 of Rautahat and 40-year-old Mait Bahadur Nepali of Myagde Rural Municipality–7. Patel was swept away by the Jhajh River in Pipra when she was bathing in it and Nepali was carried away by a flash flood when he was crossing the Myagde River from a concrete bridge built over it.
Similarly, a father and a son sustained injuries in Baglung after being buried by a landslide in Ghusmeli, Tarakhola Rural Municipality–3. They are being treated at Manipal Hospital in Pokhara.
Likewise, our Bajura correspondent Sher Bahadur Sarki reports that the heavy rains of the past month have caused many rivers of the district to break their banks and inundate settlements. The rains have also waterlogged the soil, increasing the risk of landslides.
Mayor of Triveni Municipality Ram Singh Rawal told The Rising Nepal that a swollen Budhiganga River had flooded the areas of Pantali, Dadhali and Kalapani.
The District Police Office of Bajura has also informed that hundreds of houses in Budhiganga Municipality, Badimalika Municipality and Gaumul Rural Municipality are at a high risk of landslide.
In Rawadolu, Khijidemba Rural Municipality–7, Okhaldunga, three houses are in danger of being swept away by a landslide that fell on Thursday. The landslide fell late Thursday night following a bout of heavy rain and now, the houses of Uday Bahadur Basnet, Bahadur Khatri and Dil Bahadur Khatri are at risk of being washed away by the mudslide, informed Ward Chairman Bhupendra Basnet.
Furthermore, our Dolakha correspondent Baburam Sharma writes that the flood in a seasonal stream in Ruchib, Bhimeshwor Municipality–1 swept away a saw mill and has put the 25 houses of Thangathang village at risk of submersion.
Also, a landslide in Jiri Municipality–7 has buried two cottages and a saw mill. The nearby Chahare Primary School is also believed to be at risk.
Forecast
According to the forecast released by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology on Saturday, the rivers and streams flowing through the mid-hills, Chure and Terai regions of Province 1, Bagmati, Gandaki, Karnali, Lumbini and Sudurpashchim are expected to swell and there may be a few instances of flash flooding on Sunday.
On Monday, the water level in the Mahakali River and its tributaries may rise. The rivers and streams flowing through the mid-hills, Chure and Terai regions of Province 1, Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpashchim are expected to cause flash floods.
The Department has urged everyone living along the riverbanks in these provinces to remain alert.