BARDIYA, August 14: A team led by Minister for Livestock Development, Shantaram Tharu, on Monday distributed relief to the flood victims in several areas of Bardiya district. However, many are yet to get it. 

The team and relief packages were transported through a helicopter. Vehicular movement in the district has come to a halt due to poor road conditions following incessant rain for the past few days. 

The flood victims were provided with beaten rice and biscuits, among other food stuffs. Thousands of people in Bardiya have been displaced due to floods and landslides. 

Locals of Gulariya Municipality have lamented the delay in relief distribution. They are asking for medicines and other essential at the earliest. In Sangambasti of Gulariya alone, 120 people including two police personnel were stuck in the flood since Saturday night.

Mukti Nath Yadav, a civil society leader of Gulariya stated that all the roads in the district have been affected by the flood. The water level in the Babai River has not receded yet, he said. 

"The delay in relief distribution is apparent. There is no situation to go to all the affected areas. People are living in pathetic conditions," he said, "Relief packs can only be airdropped in this situation," he added. 

Urging the government to provide essential materials without delay, Yadav said that children and elderly people could succumb to the situation if enough care is not provided. "Not all the victims living near the headquarters have received the relief yet, let alone those from the remote areas," he said. "If things are not transported through air, it's going to take even longer time. Roads are in very poor conditions," he added.  

Government data shows that three people have died and one has gone missing in the flood. According to Dharmaraj Neupanne, an official at Madhuwan Municipality, the roads need to be cleared first. "Or else, we cannot reach out to the flood victims. We must do something about the roads. There is debris, some road sections are fully damaged," he said. 

Neupanne further stated that even bridges have been badly affected by the floods. "There is a need for very quick action. People are panicked. They are deprived of drinking water, food," he said. 

 
• delay
 
• relief
 
• distribution
 
• flood
 
• victims
 
• panicking