KAPILBVASTU: Sahaali Kohar, a farmer at Shivabhari in Kapilvastu's Sisawa VDC, died after he was swept by the Kanchanima river yesterday afternoon. He was crossing the river with a load of paddy saplings on his back, said Hareram Kohar, a local resident.

Police Inspector Lilaraj Lamichhane said Kohar's body was recovered

some 500 metres downstream today.

The three-day downpour has pulled down 200 houses while some 575 others have been

inundated.

The Banganga floods spilled over to villages, damaging 60 houses in Khoriya, 15 in Kajarahawa, 35 in Singhakhor, 38 in Dhanakauli Hadadiyahawa and 15 houses in Tilauri villages. Subsequently, around 800 villagers have been displaced.

Meanwhile, the rising water level in Belnadi, Sisawa, Marthi and

Kanchanima rivers poses a threat to nearby settlements.

Six other VDCs have been inundated as the Mahalisagar dam near the Nepal-India border entrapped the water.

Families in the affected areas have been shifted to safer places. According to SP Bikram Singh Thapa, who is also a member of District Natural Disaster Rescue Committee, 46 VDCs have been badly hit due to the floods.

Thousands of hectare

of arable land has been inundated. Villagers and police are busy rescuing the affected people. CDO Nagendra Jhad informed that the victim families were provided chiura, biscuit and noodles.