Holiya (Banke), Sept 11 :

Flood victims whose houses and belongings were swept away 15 days ago are compelled to stay in the open. They have not been given even a tent yet.

The flood on August 26 swept away two houses of Satgu Yadav, 60, of Holiya-6. His family of five is living under the open sky. Yadav said, “We are facing great difficulty as we don’t have a place to live.”

“We have spent the last so many nights soaking in the rain but no one has given us a tent,” he complained. Most of his family members are suffering from cold and fever.

Over 50 families are homeless after the floods, and most of them are living under the open sky.

Mohan Lal Yadav, 90, and his family are staying at what used to be a cowshed before the flood.

Marat Ram Kori of Holiya-8, Khadaicha, said, “We are hearing that millions of rupees have been allotted for flood victims but that definitely hasn’t reached us,” he said.

The family of Ram Kumar Harijan of Holiya-7, Piprahawa, spent a few nights in a local school building but now it is huddling under a makeshift tent. Flood victims here complained that though the government shifted the flood victims of Chauferi to the Jhora jungle, victims from other places have been left to fend for themselves.

Pointing out that the flood victims are being provided relief in a phased manner, Assistant Chief District Officer of Banke, Narendra Raj Sharma said, “Foodstuff and medicines are being distributed now. The relief teams are also going to the villages.”

WFP support :

KATHMANDU: The World Food Programme (WFP) has pledged to support the flood victims of four western districts with food worth $ 500,000 to feed over the next month. “Working with the Nepal Red Cross Society, WFP will provide rice, oil, lentils and salt worth some $500,000 to feed people over the next month in four western districts of Nepal - Banke, Bardiya, Achham and Mugu,” a statement issued on Monday stated. — HNS