A 12-year-old in Dhangadhi Municipality breathed his last during treatment at Seti Zonal Hospital in Kailali district after he was swept into a local stream. The identity of the deceased has not been established as of Thursday evening, according to District Police Office (DPO), Kailali.
As per the DPO, one Bir Bahadur Chaudhary of Pabera VDC was injured when a tree fell on his house during the continuous rain. Over 500 locals from more than 100 households have been displaced in different villages of Kalali.
Likewise, more than 1,000 households of Gulariya Municipality and 10 VDCs in Bardiya district have been submerged in flooding by the Babai triggered by incessant rainfall since Wednesday night.
A total of 54 locals from the inundated areas have been rescued and shifted to safer locations, according to Superintendent of Police (SP) Gobinda Ram Pariyar.
PHOTO: ARJUN OLI
He informed that 300 security personnel from Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and the Nepal Army and trained individuals were mobilized in the affected areas.
Chief District Officer (CDO) Binod Kunwar informed that most of wards in Gulariya Municipality have already become submerged.
"The rainfall that started Wednesday night is still going on and the level of water in the Babai is increasing gradually," he said.
The water level in the Babai has risen five meters. Similarly, the level of the Karnali has increased to 10 meters. If the water rises another six meters, it will pose a risk to human settlements nearby.
Thursday's flooding in the Babai has added to the woes to those displaced by last year's flooding. Ram Tappar, one of the displaced, said, "Our temporary shelter has been submerged, and we haven't been able to cook our food."
Another displaced, Rita Thakuri, said that stored food and grain have become wet and damaged due to flood water.
Likewise, due to the incessant rainfall since Wednesday night, the water level in the Rapti in Nepalgunj has increased. The water was measured at 3.45 meters on Thursday morning, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology office based in Nepalgunj.
"If the water level in the Rapti exceeds five meters, scores of villages situated on the river banks will be submerged," CDO Jagat Bahadur Basnet said. Holiya, Bethani, Gangapur and Matehiya VDCs are among the villages that are vulnerable to flooding by the river.
The locals have been suffering for the last decade due to flooding . The problem has become aggravated after the Indian authorities built causeways at the border. The causeways have reportedly been constructed in no- man's-land and this has obstructed the natural flow of water from Laxmanpur and Kalkalwa areas.
However, the government is yet to show serious concern over this annual plight caused by flooding, according to stakeholders.
Due to lack of seriousness on the part of the Nepal government, the Indian authorities are constructing another causeway in no-man's-land. The structure under construction by the Indian side has already diverted water toward nearby villages including Hirminiya, Saigau, Jaispur and Priphawa, informed Yuddha Raj Mishra, one of affected locals.