Key Takeaways:

• 12 families displaced, 26 more at risk as landslide expands in Majhuwa
• Landslide has eaten 100 ropanis of land, worsened since 2072 earthquake
• Students forced to walk through landslide zone after road cut off
• Local govt begins relocation process, but terrain and resources limit options

DHANKUTA, AUGUST 18 A landslide that has been expanding for years in Sangurigadhi Rural Municipality-6 is now creeping towards homes, forcing a dozen families from their houses and leaving 26 more at risk of displacement. In Majhuwa, residents say the landslide along Sacha Khola has already eaten away more than 100 ropanis of land and continues to expand towards the settlement. Among those forced to leave is Amrit Magar, who borrowed Rs 150,000 to build his house four years ago. He had lived there for less than a year when the landslide began pulling away his house and land, forcing him to seek shelter elsewhere. Of the 10 ropanis of land he once owned, only about three ropanis remain, he said. 'The landslide has been expanding every year for the past three years. We do not know when it will take the remaining land too.' Neighbours Khadga Magar, Khila Magar and Uttam Magar have also been displaced after their homes were affected by the landslide. According to locals, a landslide on the eastern side of the settlement began in 2056 BS, eventually displacing seven families. Although that landslide has become relatively controlled, another one began on the western side in 2075 BS, adding to the risks facing residents.

Locals say the landslide has worsened since the 2072BS earthquake. The area has a loose, clay-like soil that becomes dry in winter and muddy during the monsoon, making it vulnerable to erosion and landslides. Technical expert Dipak Rai said the area's naturally weak terrain has been further destabilised by haphazard road construction. Cutting hills during road construction can disturb the natural balance of the land, while inadequate drainage allows rainwater to trigger erosion and landslides, Rai said. Sangurigadhi lies in the Mahabharat mountain range, where the terrain is considered relatively fragile. Students forced through landslide zone The danger extends beyond homes. Around 100 students from Mukten travel to Namje-based Gramin Janata Secondary School in Bhedetar for higher-level education. After a landslide damaged the road, students have been forced to walk along a dangerous trail through the affected area, where fresh landslides remain a constant threat. The road connecting Mukten with the main road has also been cut off after a landslide struck Sacha Khola several months ago. Residents, who depend mainly on agriculture, say they are now struggling to take their produce to market. Vegetables and other crops, including akabare chilli, pears and cucumbers, are reportedly beginning to rot in the village because they cannot be transported easily.

Mukten itself has around 100 households, of which 10 have already been displaced because of landslide risks, according to local resident Ran Bahadur Magar. He said major landslides have existed at two locations in the village for decades and worsened following the 2045 and 2072 earthquakes. More than a dozen houses once stood in one of the affected areas, but all have since been abandoned. Sangurigadhi Rural Municipality chairman Jitendra Rai said the local government has begun the process of relocating families facing the highest risk. However, he said difficult terrain, limited resources and a lack of suitable safe locations have made it difficult to relocate all vulnerable families immediately.