SAPTARI, July 6: Up to 16 families in Saptari district have been displaced by flooding on Saturday, according to the District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC). For lack of prompt relief, the displaced flood victims find themselves in dire  straits. 

Four families in Kanchanrup Municipality-8, who were displaced by the  flooding are currently  sheltering with neighbors. After the flood washed away their homes and lands, they had no choice but to turn to neighbors for help.

The displaced homes were  near the banks of the Sundari river. The river suddenly overflowed and washed away four houses that were home to eight families. Those rendered homeless include Nabal Yadav, Shyam Yadav, Raj Kumar Yadav and Debu Yadav. 

The river now flows where the houses used to be. The victims have no idea where to rebuild their shelter and how to make a living.

“All our lands have been washed away. We  have nowhere to rebuild our homes,” said Shyam Yadav His aging and ailing parents and his wife and children have nowhere to go, he added.

“How long can we shelter with our neighbor?” said Debu Yadav, Shyam's father. He urged the government to get serious about the plight of people like him. 

Also on Saturday,  three families were displaced in Tirhut Rural Muncipality-2 when the flooded Mahuli river entered the village. The flood victims are Birakshya Mukhiya, Jibachya Mukhiya and Laxman Ram. Their houses  have been washed away  completely. Around 40 families in the village have been affected. 

In Maleth, which is near district headquarters Rajbiraj,  flooding has damaged the houses of six families. Most of the victims are from the Dalit and improvised communities. “I neither have my husband nor my son. With my only property now washed away, how am I  to live?” said  Karanpurni Devi Khanga, one of the victims.

Recent floods have so far inundated 80 houses in Bhedia and Sakarpur also, according to the DDRC.  

 
• flood victims
 
• district disaster relief committee
 
• dire straits
 
• saptari