Nepali technicians begin spur repairs

BY SHANKAR KHAREL

SUNSARI, Aug 28 - A team of technicians of the Ministry for Water Resources began repairing spurs of the embankment eroded by the Saptakoshi deluge from Wednesday. The team repaired spurs number- 11 and 12 on Wednesday itself, which, as it claimed, would now protect spur-15 ...

A huge number of construction workers, locals and others had attempted to stop the river from flowing eastward by creating "crater" of innumerable sacks full of mud, stones and sand.

Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa and Minister for Physical Planning and Works, Bijay Kumar Gachchhedar, who had also reached the area along with a team of technicians inspected the damage. They said they expected a remarkable outcome within a week.

In the meantime, separate teams of Indian technicians began a survey aimed at changing the direction of water flow toward the west. However, it was said that continuous rainfall prevented them from beginning work to stop the erosion.

Chief District Officer Durga Bhandari said the team of Indian technicians Tuesday reached the site to begin work after the Nepali side pledged security for them. The technicians are known as experts on the Koshi and its erosion.

2 displaced die; over 5,000 ill

Two persons, taking shelter at government camps in the district after being displaced by last week's Saptakoshi flood, died on Wednesday.

According to police, one Garmi Mandal, 70, of Haripur-4, died due to hypothermia inside the camp. Likewise, Shyama Devi Sharma, 45, of Western Kusaha-4 died at BP Koirala Institute of Health Science (BPKIHS). She was suffering from gastroenteritis.

Due to lack of safe drinking water, sanitation and bedding, the number of sick inside these camps is increasing every day. Over 5,000 displaced at the 23 camps in the district are suffering from various health problems such as high fever, pneumonia and hypothermia. Paramedics said most of them are children, the elderly and women.

Medical teams from Army Hospital, Nepal Red Cross, Inaruwa Hospital and BPKIHS, among others, have been deployed in the displaced camps to tend the sick.

Meanwhile, over two dozen flood displaced persons have been admitted to hospitals at Inaruwa and Dharan for treatment. Of them, four persons are said to be in critical condition.