Around 121 hectors of fertile land have eroded, 1198 hectares of cultivable land have been damaged with another 646 hectors have been inundated in the flood.
According to Jhapa District Agriculture Development Office (DADO), the rain has wreaked havoc in 20 VDCs of the district, besides Damak and Mechi Municipalities.
Locals have incurred a loss of two million rupees after the flood destroyed seven irrigation systems in Shantinagar, Garamani, Khudanabari and Shantimargh VDCs. All these large, small and traditional irrigation systems were being managed and operated by the locals. [break]
As per the survey conducted by DADO, nine VDCs and Damak municipality were battered by the raging Mai, Kamal, Ratuwa, Biring, and Kisne Rivers.
“500 hectares of fertile land in total has inundated in Rajghad VDC, Kohabar VDC, and 120 hectares more has faced land erosion in Mahabhara VDC. In addition to that, 120 hectares of land in five wards of Chakki VDC have also been affected,” informed Sita Bhattarai, a Planning Officer at DADO.
“The condition is similarly in Ghailadubba, Sharanamati, Balubadi, Rajghad, Gairiganj and Khajurghasi VDC,” she added.
According to the contact center of DADO, Kamal River has eroded 31 beghas, 18 khattas of land at ward 9 of Topgachhi VDC and 14 beghas 19 khattas in ward 8.
Similarly, the flood has eroded 44 beghas, 24 khattas of land in wards 5,6 and 9 of Lakhanpur VDC, 4 more beghas of land in various villages around Damak.
A technical assistant at the Centre, Mohan Mishra, informed that Mawa River has submerged 10 beghas of land in ward 17, 11 beghas and 5 khattas in ward 18, and 21 beghas and 17 khattas in ward 12 of Damak.
“With 45 percent of the plantation already completed in Budhabare VDC, five percent of it has been damaged by flood and land erosion,” said Mishra.
“The flood has affected more than 1200 farmers in the district,” said the communication officer at the center, Ram Prasad Gautam.
This is just a preliminary report and reports of more damages will pour in in the coming days, Bhattarai added.
“We have been collecting data and sending the report to the concerned ministry every week, so that the ministry could design the relief packages accordingly,” added Bhattarai.
According to Bhattarai, they have asked for vegetable seeds for around 100 hectares of land, wheat seeds for 20 hectares and corn seeds for 20 more hectares of land.
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