15 dead, one missing in landslides

KATHMANDU, July 15: Fifteen persons, including seven children, were killed and one went missing in three separate landslides in Rukum and Nuwakot districts on Friday morning.



According to Republica correspondent Kamal Thapa, 12 persons, including six children, of two peasant families were killed in two separate landslides in a remote village of Rukum district on Friday morning. [break]



As landslide swept away a house in Purtimkada village-3 of Rukum, Udiram Budha, 53, and his wife Kali, 48, son Khadka Bahadur, 30, daughter in law Kabali, 23, and grandsons Roshan, 5, and Ekraj, 2, were buried to death.



Similarly, Udiram´s daughter Geeta, 25, who was married to Rudra Bahadur, and two grandsons Nabaraj, 4, and Jeeban, 2, were also killed in the landslide. Geeta, along with her husband and two sons, had come to her maternal home a few days ago.



As the landslide took place before dawn-break, none of Udiram´s family members survived the calamity. Rudra, Udiram´s son-in-law, was also buried in the debris. However, a joint team of Nepal Army (NA) personnel and policemen, assisted by local villagers, has not recovered Rudra´s body till Friday evening.



Similarly, as another landslide took place almost simultaneously in Purtimkada village-1 of Rukum, Dhansing Gharti´s son Ramesh, 4, daughters Sabina, 9, and Amrita, 18, were killed on Thursday night. Dhansing survived as he was away from his house.



The landslides occurred following a week-long torrential rain in Rukum. According to police inspector Kishor Shrestha, other villagers are also under the risk of landslides in the village.



Fearing more landslides, 40 families -- 30 in Purtimkada-3 and 10 I Purtimkada-1 -- have left their houses. “They are staying at safe places,” Shrestha told Republica.



According to Rukum Chief District Officer (CDO) Krishna Prasad Adhikari, a relief team, headed by assistant CDO Arjun Bhandari, has already been sent to Purtimkada with sacks of dry food, clothes and medicines. Purtimkada is a five-hour walk away from Khalanga, the district headquarters of Rukum.



In Thangsing village-3 of Nuwakot, Sane Mijar, his wife and a year old niece were also killed in a landslide. The landslide took place in the wee hours on Friday when they were asleep.

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