Even before the onset of monsoon, we are witnessing devastating landslides that have killed scores of people, sweeping off villages and destroying houses. The situation calls for a high level of preparedness on the part of people in the hills as well as sound disaster management plan by the government. Massive landslides triggered by incessant rain presumably killed 55 people in six Village Development Committees in Taplejung Wednesday night, dozens are still missing. The death toll might go up as search and rescue operations are underway. Khokling, Liwang, Santhakra, Thinglabu, Lingtep and Khamlung VDCs have suffered a high number of casualties. Taplejung is desperately waiting for help but bad weather has hampered rescue operations. Prime Minister Sushil Koiral and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli could not make it to Taplejung Friday. We express deep sympathy toward the victims and pray for all those who lost their lives. The government should mobilize all state machineries to save the lives of people in Taplejung.Taplejung witnessed 129 millimeters of rainfall throughout Wednesday night. The district is among the areas hit by a big landslide in the recent past, leaving it even more fragile and prone to another landslide. The April 25 earthquake and its powerful aftershocks, say the experts, also contributed to sudden landslides as soil structures weakened. The fact that this has happened in Taplejung, one of the least earthquake affected districts, indicates that hill settlements in highly affected districts like Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha, Rasuwa and Dhading are equally vulnerable to landslides. Early signs point to greater dangers.
Earthquake caused dry landslides in various places of affected districts, rendering them uninhabitable. A number of people have already moved to Kathmandu or other safer areas. But those without means are still living in the precarious hills. They need to be relocated to safer places before landslides wreck yet another cruelty. Besides, earthquake has created several ruptures and cracks on land surfaces. When rainwater seeps into those cracks, landslides are imminent. Geologists have warned major landslides in earthquake affected areas this monsoon. The government taskforce has also identified 18 villages—four in Gorkha and Sindhupalchok, three in Dhading and Dolakha, two in Rasuwa and Nuwakot—as extremely vulnerable to landslides and even recommended relocating people to safer areas before the monsoon. The government must spring into action without any delay. We are living through vulnerable times. The government should take every possible measure to timely warn the people of landslide prone districts. Efforts must be made to map landslide risks and frequent monitoring of potential landslide sites. Taplejung tragedy should serve as an early warning of other possible disasters and a wakeup call for state machineries to stay alert. Landslides and floods kill hundreds of people every year in Nepal. Monsoon is knocking at the door. The clock is ticking.
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