Nepalgunj, September 5:

Residents of Holiya VDCs, who were displaced due to flooding in the Rapti river, are now facing starvation and diseases. Two thousand people of at least 320 households located at Chhitaipurawa, Simarahana, Tepari and Ghodiyanpur villages of ward Nos 4, 5 and 6 at Holiya VDC were displaced after floodwater gushed into their households. They are taking shelter in local schools, relatives’ houses and in India.

Earlier, floods swept away foostuffs they had stored in their households. They have also run out of beaten rice provided by the Nepal Red Cross.

Omkar Yadav of Chhitaipurawa, who is taking shelter with nine family members at a local school, said, “We now have nothing left for eating. Perhaps, we will die of starvation.” He urged the government to arrange food for them soon. Bijaya Prasad Gaudiya of Holiya-5 Simarahana said, “Food is our urgent demand; shelter comes next.”

“We have nowhere to turn to when our children demand food.”

Diseases, including diarrhoea, pneumonia, flue and fever, are gripping flood victims. Ram Bahadur Bahun of Holiya-5 Chhitaipurawa said lack of proper food and shelter have rendered them ill.

In the first phase, local administration and Red Cross have distributed tents and beaten rice for 208 households, said head of the Red Cross in Nepalgunj Ishwor Regmi. He also

said that second phase of distribution of relief materials will begin soon.