Achham, September 7 :

Over 150 locals of Khaptad and Devisthan Village Development Committees (VDCs), who were displaced after massive landslide twelve days ago, have fallen sick.

“Over 150 children and elderly persons staying in temporary camps for landslide victims have fallen ill,” a landslide victim told this daily. The landslide victims are also facing food shortage as relief material is yet to reach them.

Six persons died in the massive landslide on August 26 in Balelna village of ward numbers 5 and 6 of Khaptad VDC and ward numbers 1 and 9 of Devisthan VDC. Altogether, 92 households in Balelna and 22 households in Devisthan were displaced due to the landslide.

Some 556 locals of Balelna have been put up in temporary camps at Melphanta hill while 137 locals of Devisthan have been shifted to a nearby hill.

“There are some 150 ailing persons, including children and the elderly in both the camps. Most of them are stricken with pneumonia, cold, fever and diarrhoea due to lack of clean drinking water and having to stay out in the cold,” coordinator of the Landslide Victims’ Camp, Shyam Rawal said.

A landslide victim, Kalche Rawal, languishing in the temporary camp, said, “Medical help for the treatment of the patients here is urgently needed. So are relief materials.”

Only 10 quintals of food grain is in stock at the camps.

Some 150 quintals of relief materials in Sanfe Bagar could not be delivered to landslide-affected areas as the landslide swept away roads there, chairman of the Natural Disaster Management Committee, Sanfe Bagar, Shiva Bahadur Kunwar said.

Landslide victims complained no health worker has visited since a week.

The stench of decomposing carcasses of cattle has polluted the air in the entire village.

An epidemic might break out in the village if medical teams don’t come there soon, said assistant sub-inspector Tilak Kalauni.

A posse of 12 policemen led by Kalauni is posted at the landslide site.