Residents of Liping bazaar and adjoining areas near Nepal-China border have been evacuated to a camp at Chaukidanda, a nearby village, following frequent landslides and aftershocks. Some of them have moved to either Kathmandu or other safer zones after the blocked Araniko Highway was cleared by a joint Nepali-Chinese disaster team four days ago.
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Dozens of vehicles were parked in the Liping bazaar and Tatopani areas at the time of the earthquake. The wreckage of vehicles destroyed by massive landslides and rocks can be seen everywhere in the Liping Bazar and Tatopani areas. Almost all the houses are destroyed. Houses only partially damaged have no occupants. There is no movement at all and Liping bazaar, for the past two weeks, has looked like a ghost town.
Republica team reached the area on Saturday afternoon to report on the post quake situation in Liping bazaar. The bazaar used to be buzzing with economic activity from early in the morning to late into the night prior to the quake. Dozens of containers carrying chinese goods used to leave for Kathmandu every day from this area.
The entire region is suffering from landslides. Government officials deputed at Tatopani custom office have been moved to Kathmandu. The custom office, which used to collect billions of rupees in revenue everyday, is no longer operational.
"Since the earthquake, we have not had any electricity and the telephone lines have been down," said Shrestha, adding, "We feel really unsafe here as the rainy season is rapidly approaching." According to him, locals and security personnel have vacated the area in search for safer terrain.
"It is likely that my goods will be stolen as only a few families remain in the area after the quake," he said, adding, "Falling rocks are a constant hazard."
Only a few Armed Police Force (APF) personals patrol the area during the day. At night, these teams return to Chaukidanda due to the threat of landslide.
"The Chinese security forces has warned us of massive landslides that could take place in the next 72 days as they have inspected the surrounding hills and claim to have found cracks measuring up to 10-feet," said a sub-inspector of APF, requesting anonymity.
According to the locals, the Chinese have said the Tatopani custom check point will remain closed for three months as a precaution.
At a time when daily life is slowly returning to normalcy in other affected parts of the country, living around the roadside markets along the Araniko Highway has become more dangerous due to the constant threat of landslides.
Shiva and Bhupendra Bohara were trying to reclaim some of their goods from the rubble of their collapsed house at Dash Kilo near Tatopani bazaar. "This place has become unsafe to stay with our families, thus we are shifting our goods to safer areas. Our neighbors have already left this village," said Bhupendra. Nearby, Naya Basti settlement has been adversely affected by huge rocks falling from surrounding hills, displacing many locals, said Dawa Tamang, a resident.
Girbi Sherpa, 52, a resident of Khokundel in Phulping Katti VDC, left for Boudha, Kathmandu with his family on Saturday as he fears landslide will hit his small roadside house during the monsoon season. "It's scary to stay in this area as there is a constant threat of landslides and the monsoon season is coming," said Sherpa. Bed Bahadur Khadka of the same town has decided to shift to his house in another village for fear of possible landslides.
Gam Bahadur Shrestha of Chaku Bazaar in Marming VDC, has been sleeping on the banks of the nearby river for the past two weeks as his house is vulnerable to landslides. "This bazaar has been surrounded by the landslide on all sides, it seems it will be difficult to stay here during the rainy season," he stated nervously.
Shiva Bahadur Shrestha, of the same village, said they have not slept properly for the past two weeks due to the unremitting landslide followed by recurring aftershocks.
Gati, Marming, Phulping Katti and Tatopani VDCs are all linked to the Araniko Highway while Hunthang and Listi across the Bhotekoshi River have also been badly affected by the landslide.
