More than 40,000 displaced by Koshi flood

Kantipur Report

SUNSARI, Aug 19 - The number of people displaced by the Saptakoshi River in Sunsari district exceeded 40,000 on Tuesday.At least three people were killed after being swept away by the swollen river.

The police said that the dead bodies of two women and one man were found ...

Shripur and Haripur VDCs have been hit hard by the swollen river that forced its way to the settlements Monday afternoon after damaging embankments in the western Kushaha villages.

A team of Nepal Army and police rescued about 5,000 people from those VDCs.

Sunsari local development officer Guru Subedi informed that about 5,000 people may still be stranded in the VDCs.

“Eight boats have been mobilised for the rescue operation,� he said.

Majority of the western VDCs in Sunsari district have been inundated as the river eroded the embankments.

Settlements at several VDCs including Laukahi, Western Kushaha, Shripur, Haripur, Basantapur, Narsingha, Dhuski, Debanganj, Captangunj and Sahebganj have been submerged.

Some 500 children among the displaced have fallen ill. Most of them have caught pneumonia and fever, the district community health office said.

The displaced ones have complained that the beaten rice and noodles provided by the local administration was not sufficient.

A team of the district community health office has been mobilised to provide medical treatment to those taking shelter at government buildings and schools in Inaruwa, Madhuban, Laukahi and Prakashpur VDCs.

The local administration has intensified relief operation in the inundated areas.

Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, Red Cross and local residents have been supporting the operation.

Boats are currently being used to rescue the people stranded at the embankments.

Three choppers belonging to Nepal Army have been mobilised for the rescue operation.

What is more, vehicular movement has been obstructed at the East-West Highway after the flood swept away the Koshi barrage road section.

As of Monday evening, over 25,000 locals left their homes for Inaruwa, Saptari and neighboring Indian villages. Long caravans of people were seen setting out to safer grounds with their belongings on rickshaws, tractors, bicycles and other conveyances.

Although 40 out of the total of 56 sluicegates at Saptakoshi barrage were opened yesterday, this failed to make any immediate difference.

As an immediate solution, sacks filled with stones and sand were dropped at the affected points. A team of technicians from India has also arrived here to look at the situation.

The Kushaha embankment was built with the assistance of the Indian government. Local Development Officer Guru Prasad Subedi admitted more sand was used in the embankment construction, which resulted in such rapid erosion.

When contacted, district magistrate of Supaul in India, Mohammad Sheriff Alam, said they too have been alerted as damage to the embankment would affect villages in India also.

Reports say that the flood water has also crept into the some villages of the Indian state of Bihar forcing the local residents to flee their houses.

Posted on: