RUKUM, Aug 12:A landslide triggered by incessant downpour on Sunday night swept away four houses and 13 sheds at Bairagi Thanti Bazaar, rendering 49 families completely displaced.
Assistant Chief District Officer, Arjun Bhandari, informed that four houses and 13 shop sheds have been buried under the rubbles after the landslide hit the bazaar situated between district headquarters Khalanga and Bhalakcha VDC.
However, there is no report of casualties. [break]
As per the initial assessment of the Natural Disaster Rescue Committee of the district, properties worth nine million rupees have been destroyed in the incident.
The Famous Mahendra Dal battalion of Nepal Army and locals had rescued the landslide victims.
The houses of Mohan Oli, Pramod Oli, Deuman Khatri and Man Bahadur Oli and 13 sheds housing shops and hotels have been swept away. According to Bhandari, the displaced families have been sheltered in nearby Solbang Bazaar.
"Dozers are being used to clear the rubbles but the place is still risky for the people as the landslide has not fully stabilized yet," Assistant CDO Bhandari informed.
One of the victims, Mohan Oli informed that they took cover inside the vehicles parked near the market place after the landslide. "People were running amok to protect themselves from the landslide. We kept praying God to save us from the disaster," said Oli.
"We have lost everything as all our belongings have been buried under the rubbles," he added.
Children, elderly people and lactating mothers in the displaced families have been affected the most.
Meanwhile, the entire Bhalakcha village is at risk as landslides continue to flow downhill, Lal Bahadur Kadayat, a local, informed.
The vehicular movement on Rukum-Salyan road has been disrupted for the past four days with the landslides occurring in over a dozen stretches of the road.
According to Dilip Thapa, the General Secretary of Sisne Himal Transportation Entrepreneur Committee, around three dozen vehicles have been struck on the road due to the road obstruction, stranding scores of people. He also charged the concerned authority with being apathetic toward the problem.
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