DHANGADI, AUGUST 26

One's house is often considered the safest place to take shelter from rain. But, it's quite opposite for the locals of Puliyapur, Bhajani Municipality-5, Kailali.

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As the rain starts, the Dalit families in Puliyapur leave their homes and go to the road for safety. And it's been two months, since they started living on the postal road by setting a temporary shelter made of tarpaulin after their houses were inundated by the floods from the Kandra River.

'There is water in our homes and walls have already collapsed. As there was no condition for us to stay put, we had to take to the road,' said Sita Nepali. It's important to note that Bhajani is the place worst affected by floods and inundation in the entire district in Kailali.

Of all places in the municipality, Paliyapur is the place of lowest altitude.

According to local Ratan Kami, the plight of them leaving their homes due to floods has been a norm for us every year.

'Every year, for three to four months we have to leave our homes as our homes are awash with floodwaters in the rains,' he said, adding they would have to wait until September/October to return to their homes after the floodwater recedes or dries up.

Meanwhile, the victims have also lamented the risk of living in the open.

'There is always the risk of snakes and insects biting us, while as we live in the open, people with bad intention can simply harm us,' another victim said, also bemoaning the difficulties of cooking food and the likes.

Bhajani Municipality Deputy Mayor Rajudevi Tiruwa said the municipality was committed to helping the families.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 27, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.