Recurring landslide displaces six families in Chokmagu

Panchthar, May 20:

Six households of Chokmagu VDC in Panchthar have been displaced after a landslide that has been frequently occurring for the last two decades started sliding again yesterday.

A powerful earthquake had triggered the landslide for the first time on August 21, 1988.

Since then, the landslide occurs recurrently every year, putting the lives of people in Ward No 2, 6 and 8 of the VDC at risk.

Six families belonging to Khadga Prasad Tumwapo, Devendra Tumwapo, Dhan Bahadur Tumwapo, Gam Bahadur Tumwapo, Dambar Bahadur Tumwapo and Lalmati Tumwapo in Ward No 6 were displaced after the land began sliding again yesterday.

The Panchthar chapter of the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) under its Natural Disaster Reduction Programme shifted the families to the temporary huts constructed at Jorkulo.

Rs 50,000 relief was given to each displaced family and Rs 40,000 extra was distributed to the group for income generation activities, the NRCS said.

“The land started sliding from the place called Jangale in Ward No 6 after the 1988 earthquake,” said Ganesh Bahadur Tumwapo. “The landslide not only swept away the fertile land but also our houses.”

The landslide also swept a canal depriving the local farmers of irrigated agriculture, said treasurer of Panchthar chapter of the NRCS Kabindra Timwapo said. He said the landslide has swept away over 100 bigahs of fertile land so far.