PHIDIM: Rescue workers recovered 14 more bodies today from landslide debris at different places of Taplejung, as chances of finding 22 others alive grew slim by the hour.

Of the total 57 people who were missing in the landslips triggered by incessant rainfall at several VDCs in the district on Wednesday night, 21 bodies were recovered yesterday.

More bodies were fished out from debris in Thinglabu and Liwang today.

According to Chief District Officer Damaru Prasad Niraula, 12 persons have died in the landslips and 15 others have gone missing in Liwang.

“Fourteen bodies were found in Thinglabu. In Khokling, three persons have died and two have gone missing. Four people have died and five have gone missing in Lingtep,” said Niraula.

According to CDO Niraula, security personnel rescued 14 persons who were taking shelter in a cave in Lyamlyam of Liwang this afternoon.

Rains hampered search and rescue of the missing people as a chopper that had come to the district yesterday could not fly to the landslip-affected areas.

The scheduled visits to the affected areas today by Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli, Unified CPN-Maoist Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Chief of Army Gaurav Shumsher Rana had to be aborted due to bad weather.

“The unfavourable weather has affected rescue works carried out by the army but still they are doing what they can, and the locals are also doing their best to help them in the rescue,” said Niraula.

Meanwhile, as many as 70 households of Dobhan Bazaar in the district have been shifted to Dehulinge of Phungling Municipality-1 after the swollen Tamor River caused land erosion. Likewise, nine other families of Ram Duwali of Khamlung VDC have also been moved to Dehulinge.

The recent landslides have washed away over 40 houses in Kholing, Thinglabu, Liwang, Lingtep and Santhakra in Taplejung district.

While over 200 households are said to have been displaced due to the landslides in the villages, over 100 houses are at landslide risk.

According to CDO Niraula, despite the decision of the district natural disaster rescue committee to provide relief to the people in the affected areas through army chopper, the efforts failed due to bad weather.

Of the eight persons injured in the landslides, five are undergoing treatment at the district hospital and the rest are receiving treatment at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan.