Gorkha, July 1

Kerauja VDC of Gorkha is at high risk of landslides due to incessant rainfall over the past few days. Around 557 earthquake-hit families have built temporary shelters in the VDC after the earthquakes last year destroyed their houses.

Over the past two weeks, 13 huts of ward number 4 of the VDC have been swept away by landslides. However, quake survivors are unable to move to safer areas due to lack of support from the government authorities.

Some of the locals said they spent the nights in the jungle and returned home during the day fearing landslides. The victims have demanded that they be relocated to safer areas.

“My family spends sleepless nights as my house is just below a cliff. I have nowhere to go but I can no longer stay here risking the lives of my family members,” said Man Bahadur Gurung of Kerauja-4.

Gurung said he did not want to build a house in the VDC even if he received the grant of Rs 200,000 promised by the government to earthquake victims as the VDC is at high risk of landslides.

Earlier, geologists had warned that the quake-hit Kerauja VDC is at high risk of landslides and urged the government to move the entire settlement to safer areas.

With no one to turn to for help, the locals have approached Suka Bahadur Gurung, former VDC secretary, to ask him to find a solution for them. However, Gurung’s repeated pleas to concerned authorities to relocate the locals has not yielded any result so far.

“I reached the district headquarters and met Chief District Officer at least 10 times, but he has offered no solution to the plight of the locals,” he said.

Similarly, Puchargaun VDC, where around 552 earthquake affected households have erected temporary shelters, is also at high risk of landslides.