Landslides displace 250 families

DIPAYAL,  August 13

More than 250 families of Dauda and Toleni VDCs were displaced due to landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in Doti on Monday night.

Some of the victims have taken shelter with their kin, some have been residing near forest areas whereas others have relocated themselves in the plains.

As the landslides posed a serious threat, the locals started to desert their settlements from Tuesday. More than eight settlements of the VDCs were abandoned due to high risk of disaster.

Ward nos 1, 2 and 3 of Dauda VDC and wards 4,5, 8 and 9 of Toleni VDC have been hit the worst, said Lal Bahadur Bogati, Daud VDC Secretary.

A rescue team has relocated the worst affected 32 families of Dauda VDC and 25 families of Toleni VDC so far.

Police Inspector Bodh Raj Ojha, who was deployed to relocate the families, said that the victims were relocated in schools, community buildings and buildings of government offices and other individuals’ houses in the first phase.

At least six persons, including five members of a single family were swept away in the landslip in Dauda on Monday night, whereas three others sustained injuries. At least three hydroelectric projects and a suspension bridge were damaged due to the landslips caused by heavy shower in the district. A large cultivated area was turned into desert as the disaster swept away the crops. Dozens of houses have been damaged and roads in several places have been blocked.

Meanwhile, Assistant Chief District Officer Mohan Raj Joshi said they had initiated relief distribution, though total damage caused by the natural calamity is yet to ascertained.