Ramechhap quake victims still living in makeshift tents

Ramechhap, January 11

The victims of April 2015 earthquakes are still living under makeshift tents due to delay in reconstruction of their damaged houses in remote Duragaun of Ramechhap.

The local residents are living a hard life as the entire village started to cave in after the powerful earthquakes. Ward No 5 and 6 of the village were badly affected due to frequent cave-ins during the monsoon of 2016. Residents of the wards remain vigilant throughout the day for fear of a probable natural calamity.

“A huge plain land has changed into three layers of land in just a week due to the cave-in,” said Kamal Sunuwar, a local. With the recurring cave-ins, the villagers have started to take turns sleeping at night and keeping vigil. The earthquake had claimed at least nine persons of the locality about 21 months ago.

“Every night, we go to sleep in fear that we might me killed in a cave-in. It is some respite that the villagers are taking turns to sleep at night. The locals, who were taking combined shelter at local Thapadanda, have started to return to their tents,” said Ram Kumar Thapa, a local.

According to locals, many big-wigs, including then president Ram Baran Yadav had reached the locality to console victims after the earthquake. “They made false promises and gave us sweet assurances.

Many of them even assured they would reconstruct our houses and provide relief materials. However, we have received nothing except dreamy words so far while our situation is worsening day by day,” said Sabitri Karki, a local.

People taking shelter under makeshift tents at Duragaun 5 and 6 are at high risk of land cave-in. Following the quakes and frequent aftershocks, huge cave-ins have occurred in many places of the district.

Meanwhile, the quake victims have also been languishing in the cold. The elderly and children have been facing various health complexities due to the dipping mercury.