22 bodies found in four days, search for 18 missing under way

Dhulikhel, August 17

The bodies of 22 persons killed in the landslide in Sindhupalchowk were recovered till today. Search for 18 people who have gone missing is under way.

According to District Police Office DSP Madhav Prasad Kafle, the bodies of three more persons, including two minors, were found this morning.

“The bodies of 19 people had been found by last evening. Today, the bodies of Chhabilal Dong, 22, Suraj Dong, 10, and Suman Dong, 6, were found,” said the DSP.

A mass cremation was carried out on Saturday for 18 bodies found on Friday and yesterday.

The landslide that struck at about 7:00am on Friday had buried 17 houses and partially damaged 37 houses in Lidi village of Jugal Rural Municipality. Lidi is a predominantly Tamang village comprising around 100 households.

As per the information provided by the DSP, a 55-member team of personnel from Nepali Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal

Police has been deployed to search for the 18 persons who are still remain unaccounted for after the tragedy.

“As there is light rainfall and minor landslides are occurring, rescue operation has been hampered,” said the DSP.

Meanwhile, the municipality, as immediate relief, provided Rs 125,000 to each of the families of the deceased and missing persons.

According to rural municipality Chair Hom Narayan Shrestha, a decision was taken to provide free education up to Grade XII for children who have lost both their parents to the landslide.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 18, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.