A week into an ambitious but risky plan to open the Thai resort island of Phuket to vaccinated visitors, signs were encouraging that the gambit to resuscitate the decimated tourism industry was working, even as infections elsewhere in the country surged Thursday to record highs.

It’s the same story every monsoon season. As dug up roads become waterlogged and thus muddy, leaving our homes becomes a risky affair. Pedestrians slipping and falling and bikes and cars getting stuck in mud pits are common occurrences. And, the construction and reconstruction of roads right before the advent of the new fiscal year (which falls exactly during the monsoon season) only make matters worse.

DHADING, May 21: Roaring Trishuli River has sent shivers down his spine several times while crossing the river. Many a times, he even had nightmares in which he trips off the tuin (a makeshift cable crossing) and drowns in the river. Despite such fears, there was no option other than to use the tuin to cross the river for Ram Sharan Sedhai and his fellow villagers of the Siddhalek village.

SINDHUPALCHOWK, May 7: Kristi Tamang, one among the thousands of people to become homeless after the devastating earthquake of 2015, recently moved into her newly constructed concrete house. This might have given her a feel of safety and security. However, this is not the case.

DOLAKHA, March 27: From distance, it looks like a majestic ancient town. The beauty is breathtaking. As you go near, the settlement gives you a disturbing feel.

PANCHTHAR, March 9: With the water current eroding one of the pillars of the concrete bridge over the Tamor River at Majhitar connecting Paanchthar and Tehrathum districts, exposing the steel rods used to build the pillar, the bridge has become risky. However, the authorities concerned have paid no attention to repair the bridge which was constructed four years ago.

KATHMANDU, Jan 11: Families living in risky areas in the earthquake-hit districts have been increasingly seeking collective relocation, thanks to the National Reconstruction Authority's offer to help develop basic physical infrastructures like road, sewerage, electricity and drinking water facilities required for the new settlements.

ACHHAM, Dec 28: Dambar Swar, a businessperson from the district headquarters Mangalsen once traveled to Nepalgunj via the Mangalsen-Binayak route on his motorbike.

Solukhumbu, March 9: The Cho-La Pass at Khumjung in Solukhumbu is becoming riskier in lack of adequate infrastructure.

NUWAKOT, Nov 7: Congestion along the road connecting Galchhi of Dhading district to Rasuwagadhi - the gateway to China in Rasuwa district- has been creating hassles for vehicles to ply on it.

KATHMANDU, Oct 31: Nepal has successfully drained part of a giant glacial lake near Mount Everest, averting risk of a disastrous flood that could have threatened thousands of lives, officials said Monday.

KATHMANDU, Oct 26: Relocation of landslide-prone settlements in the earthquake-hit districts to safer sites was one of the key issues besides reconstruction of the damaged houses following the devastating earthquake in April last year. But over 18 months have elapsed since the disaster and the issue of relocation of the risky settlements has been completely neglected by the government.

KATHMANDU, July 31: Passengers traveling along the Narayanghat-Mugling road section pray to god inside their vehicles as they travel along the landslide-prone area.