BIRATNAGAR, August 13: Torrential rainfalls since Friday evening which triggered several floods and landslides and claimed dozens of lives in the eastern parts of the country have finally stopped, offering some respite to the victims. As there is no more heavy rain, the water level has started receding in the flooded areas.
However, persistent rainfall is still scaring people in a few parts of the country. Rainfall-triggered floods had submerged major cities of Nepal like Biratnagar, Itahari, Rajbiraj, Damak, Birtamod and Bhadrapur. Though the heavy rainfall has stopped, the risk of flood is still intact, with dark clouds still hovering in the sky.
Flood victims of Susta return home as water recedes
Decrease in the water level has helped speed up rescue and relief distribution work in Morang. The District Natural Disaster Relief Committee has deployed Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Nepal Army for rescue and relief distribution. Continuous rainfall for two days had left houses submerged up to the knee-level. Normal life was thrown out of gear in several places. Those staying at homes, too, had to sleep on empty stomachs as the flood not only waterlogged their houses but also swept away the food, clothes and utensils.
As the substation of Nepal Electricity Authority (NRA) in Duhabi is submerged, locals in various villages east of Duhabi are obliged to stay in the dark since Friday. As informed by the officials of the substation, it will take few more days to resume the power supply. Snakes and crabs which come along with the flowing water have added to the woes of the flood victims.
As the flood has inundated a bridge along Koshiharaicha of Morang, vehicular movement along the East-West highway has been obstructed. Similarly, Biratnagar Airport has been waterlogged up to three feet, interrupting flights. According to Suresh Man Singh, Chief of Civil Aviation Authority, Biratnagar it will take 48 hours more to resume flights. "The flood has deposited mud and cement on the runway. It is going to take some time to clean that up,” he said.
As the ward no.4, 5, 6, 11 and 12 have been completely submerged by the flood, around 600 families of those places have been shifted to safe places. As informed by the police station of Itahari, around 700 families of wards 7, 8, 9 and 5 have also been shifted to a safe place.
Floods triggered by heavy rainfall have so far claimed two in Jhapa, five in Morang, eight in Sunsari, and one each in Paanchthar and Tehrathum.
