DHADING: As many 21 locals trapped in a landslide-hit village of Dhading district of central Nepal were rescued on Saturday and Sunday. A Nepal Army helicopter was used to airlift seven of them, including children and individuals with disability on Sunday.

Following incessant rainfall, landslides hit Cheprang, Ri-9 of the district on Thursday night, posing threat to the settlement.

Nepal Police's Head Constable Rudra Bahadur Kumal and Constable Sandeep Kumal rescued 14 of the villagers to safety on Saturday. They were taken to Tajimbrang, Ri-7.

Seven people, including four children and three disabled persons, on the other hand, were kept at a safer location in the village as they could not walk with the others yesterday, SSP Sharad Kumar Khatri said.

A Nepal Army helicopter airlifted them today, according to a statement issued by the NA Directorate of Public Relations.

All belongings of the landslide victims including kitchenware and food grains, however, have been kept in their respective houses.

Chief District Officer Bishwa Prakash Subedi said a meeting of the District Natural Disaster Rescue Committee meeting on Saturday decided to relocate them to a community shelter constructed by Nepal Army in Maledanda, Ri-4.

Relocation

The Committee also decided to relocate as many as 400 households of seven settlements of Ri VDC and Lapa VDC to other safe locations with a conclusion that they are at risk of landslides following the 2015 earthquake.

A team under the leadership of Local Development Officer Bhagawan Aryal has been mobilised to identify appropriate relocation sites.