DHANGADHI: People affected by Thursday's massive windstorm in Kailali district of western Nepal are still awaiting relief and some acknowledgement of their situation from the government.

The storm has largely affected Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City and adjoining Kailari Rural Municipality of Kailali causing huge infrastructural damages. Hundreds of houses have been damaged with their roofs blown away and things scattered.

Two days have passed since the incident occurred. However, locals affected by the natural disaster, even at the district headquarters, are still waiting for relief. Victims of the windstorm, who are deprived even of food at this point, are awaiting government's intervention and support to them.

Deukali Rana, a resident of Dhangadhi-12 shared, "It is the third day since the storm hit our region and no one has yet come to hear our plight. We have been starving as the wind blew away all our utensils and food items." She lamented that no one from the government had come so far to understand what had happened or to take stock of the loss and damages.

Likewise, Dammar Singh BK, another local of Dhangadhi-1, who was collecting wood planks of his damaged house scattered by the wind, shared a similar concern. "It is very hot and there is no place to take shelter as all of us are going through the same thing."

A meeting of the District Disaster Relief Committee had taken place on Friday, despite which not even a rescue and relief team have reached the affected settlements yet. Only some youth volunteers were seen helping out. They were gathering the scattered items of the damaged houses.

Mayor of Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City, Nripa Bahadur Odd, said that relief was being carried out with the resources of the sub-metropolis. "The damages have occurred in a large scale due to which only our resources have not been sufficient."

Meanwhile, Assistant Chief District Officer of Kailali, Mohan Raj Joshi, said that some tents have been distributed to the victims of ward 2 in the sub-metropolis. He added that relief would be distributed on Saturday to those most in need.

Even after Sudurpaschim province suffered such large infrastructural damages with people in despair, the province government has not even given out a message to its people. Province lawmakers and people's representatives too have not been involved in any kind of relief so far, even as the people who elected them to their positions wait.

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