JHAPA, JUNE 28

Increased water flow in various rivers triggered by incessant rainfall has locals worried in Jhapa.

Locals and police personnel have started constructing a temporary embankment after flood water eroded the dam in the Kankaimai River.

According to Jhapa District Police Office, personnel of Nepal Police, APF and locals have begun constructing the temporary embankment with bamboo after the flood water started damaging the 2,200 metres-long People’s Embankment in Jhapa Rural Municipality.

Every year, Kankaimai causes damage during the monsoon in Jhapa. The swollen river had gushed into the human settlement and damaged thousand bigaha of arable land and swept 11 people to death two years ago, said Jhapa Rural Municipality Ward 7 Chair Netra Prasad Upreti.

Jhapa Police spokesperson Rakesh Thapa said that an effort was under way to change the river’s course with the help of a JCB machine keeping in view the possible risk of Kanakimai River.

Shivsatakshi, Gauradaha, Bhadrapur, Jhapa, Gaurigunj, Barhadashi, Kachankawal, Kamal rural municipalities are at high risk of flooding, said Nepal Red Cross Society Jhapa President Lokraj Dhakal. Dhakal said the flood had also put wards 1 and 2 of Bhadrapur Municipality and some wards of Kankai Municipality in peril.

Jhapa is home to 28 small and big rivers. Of them, flood in eight rivers caused damage to life and property. Disaster Preparedness Committee Jhapa has made preparations to raise awareness among people about floods through messages on mobile phones, among others.

“A rescue team has been kept on standby,” said Dhakal.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on June 29, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.