“All I could do was watch the flood take away everything,” she said. “I don’t have clothes, or food. How will I live?”
Monday night’s flooding in the Badi settlement on the banks of Jhuprakhola, some 15 kilometers east of Birendranagar, has reduced every settler her to a total pauper. The settlers who earn a living selling sand and pebbles are wondering how to get back to normal life.
Bishnu Badi, a local, said the flood that wrecked the settlement from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. swept away some two dozen houses and damaged property worth a million rupees. Though there was no human casualty, the flood also swept away about 1,000 chickens and 100 goats, he said.
Of the 130 households in Jhuprakhola, 87 belong to the Badi community.
Bibi Badi, 40, lost her house, 14 goats and Rs 9,000 that she had saved by selling sand. “All I had was the money I had saved by selling sand from the river. That too is gone,” she said.
Bijula Badi lost Rs 10,000 in cash, belongings worth Rs 100,000 that five goats that she had bought with the money she had earned in Saudi Arabia.
Members of the Badi community has not only lost their homes, but also the money they could now use to built shelter. Let alone for shelter, they don’t have money to buy food.
Bishnu Badi said he has informed Chief District Officer Rudra Prasad Poudel about their plight. Though Poudel assured maximum assistance, there was no help until Tuesday evening, he said.
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