TIKAPUR, Aug 6: Since the last four days, few families of Khallatole and Kandadhika of Bhajani Municipality-8 in Kailali have been forced to spend their nights in the Postal Highway. When a massive flood inundated their house on Thursday night, locals had to run toward the road in order to save their lives. Even after so many days, their houses are still waterlogged. The level of water is so high that people have to use boats to reach their home. In such a situation, victims cannot think of returning to their homes for few more days.
More than 230 houses of these two villages have been severely affected by the flood. Locals came to the road along with their cattle as soon as their settlement was inundated. Those who could not run saved their lives by staying in the upper floor of their houses. People in the least affected areas have already returned to their homes after the level of water receded.
Flood victims spending nights in Postal Highway
According to ward member Krishna Lal Dhamala, though many people have returned to their settlements, sheltering in the damp house is still a challenge. Flood has not just swept away the food, utensils and clothes but has even destroyed some of the houses. "Locals will hardly get a good sleep in their houses until this rainy season comes to an end," said Dhamala.On Sunday, Mani Ram Chaudhary of Krishnanagar returned home along with his family to find his home completely different. "Everything has been swept away and now there is nothing left except for a roof to hide ourselves," said Chaudhary. However, Chaudhary is not the only one as there are several families in Kandadhika, Khallatole, Sunahaphanta, Krishnanagar, Dailekhoti dealing with the same problem.
This problem has been troubling the locals every year. Ram Krishna Chaudhary of Thapapur recalls his experience of 2007 when he had to spend twenty days outside after his house was inundated by a massive flood. "This year, we didn't have to stay for longer but still we are tired of running for our lives every year," he said.
Most of the flood victims have been taking shelter in school buildings. Some even had to sleep with empty stomachs. As informed by Madhusudan Rajbanshi of Thapapur, currently 50 families are taking refuge at National Primary School. "Each family is obliged to stay in small rooms and elderly citizens, disabled, and children have even started falling sick," said Rajbanshi.
Sher Bahadur Chaudhary, mayor of Bhajani Municipality stated that the flood victims have been provided food at their own homes with the help of boats. "It is not possible to reach all the places but we have at least provided food to the victims who are within our reach," he said.
