Biratnagar, August 15

Dhruba Prasad Giri of Katahari Rural Municipality in Morang became a victim of the swollen Singhiya Khola when floodwaters swept away his shanty.

Giri and his family members are now in a lurch. The flood water dipped today, but Giri’s family, is still waiting for relief to arrive inside the makeshift tent. “My family has been living in the open for the past three days. We have not received even a single kg of rice as relief and our stomachs are empty,” Giri complained.

Like Giri, many squatters living on the banks of Singhiya River are having a hard time. Displaced by the flood, the victims complained that they had received no relief from the state. “We do not know where the state is. The state is turning a blind eye to our troubles,” lamented another victim Mahamat Bechain.

Ahmad Aajim, another victim, said they were living with hunger in the open for the past three days. “We do not have even a single grain of rice. Everything was washed away. How can I feed two children?” he wondered.

Squatters displaced by the flood are living in makeshift tents. Local Bishnu Maya Shrestha said she was begging food to feed herself.

Sudir Khatun of Biratnagar Metropolitan City complained she had received nothing after she was displaced last Thursday. “The house has developed cracks due to inundation and it is not liveable. I do not know how long I will have to stay hungry,” Khatun said.

Around 40 families are living near Keshliya Khola. They lamented they had not got relief from anyone. Most of the displaced complained about lack of food and water. The floods has damaged 3,021 private houses and displaced 11,420 families in Morang. The displaced families are living in relatives’ houses, tents and camps. Of the displaced, most of them complained of not receiving any relief.

Meanwhile, Morang DAO claimed relief distribution was effective. Morang Assistant CDO Sesh Narayan Paudel said local levels had the authority to manage relief materials.

He informed relief distribution was under way.