Saptari, July 25
Santosh Jha of Tilathi VDC-6, Saptari district, is in a sea of troubles, literally. Ten days ago, his father Indra Dev Jha died. And now, his family is grappling with another grave problem in the midst of post-death rituals.
No, the problem is not economic in nature. Incessant rains lashing the district have inundated his house. With water everywhere, Santosh does not have a place where he can perform the rituals.
The family has four houses, but they have gone partially under water.
Rajo Kumari Mukhiya of Sakarpura VDC-7 is not faring better. She has been living on empty belly with her three-year-old child in a partially inundated house.
Similar is the condition of Badriya Mukhiya of Tilathi-7. What option does he have except to live on empty belly together with his small children?
With different streams flooded due to rains, around 4,000 people from more than 1,000 families have been living in sub-human conditions in Saptari district. With rains continuing, more than 3,000 partially-submerged houses are at increased risk.
Who cares about cattle?
It’s not only people, who have been living without food for days. Their cattle too have been staying hungry. Ayodhi Mukhiya of Sakarpura-7 says: We have no food for ourselves. Where do we go and get stuff for cattle?
He says: Since Friday, cattle have been staying in the rain without food.
In affected villages, including Sakarpura, around 5,000 cattle have gone missing in floods.
Houses located in southern parts of Saptari district, including Sakarpura, Launiya and Tilathi Bhavangamakatti, are at increased risk due to flooding in the Khando River.
3,000 houses inundated
A rain-fed Khando River is gushing into houses in Sakarpura after breaching an embankment. In all houses of Sakarpura and some houses in Launiya and Tilathi, pools of water have formed some up to three feet deep.
Gyan Bahadur Shrestha, inspector at the Armed Police Force’s Tilathi outpost office, told Onlinekhabar: Rainfall continuing since Saturday has increased the problem of waterlogging.
Waterlogging and spillover of floodwater has put houses in these villages at risk, DSP Dan Bahadur Karki, spokesperson for Saptari district police office, said, adding: Houses in other places are relatively safe.
There’s widespread fear in these villages that a huge number of houses will collapse if rains continue. At present, affected people are either taking refuge in relatives’ places or have moved to safer places.
Rainfall continuing since Friday night has inundated more than 3,000 houses in the district. Houses in district headquarters Rajbiraj and other places like Sakarpura, Launiya, Tilathi, Koiladi, Dighawa, Mahadeva, Madhwapur, Bhagwatpur, Bathnaha, Bhardaha, Portaha, Mainakaderi, Bishhariya, Koiladi Barsai, Bhavanagamakatti, Kanchanrup and Saptakoshi municipalities have gone under water.
A flooded Mahuli Stream has inundated houses in Bhardaha and Portaha VDCs. In Sakarpura, more than 500 houses are under water, according to police.
In Rajbiraj-10, more than 100 houses are under water. A flooded Triyuga Stream has inundated more than 100 houses in Saptakoshi municipality, according to locals.
Floodwater has spilled over into 200 houses each in Bishhariya and Launiya and 700 houses in Rampura Malhaniya.
In Babhangamakatti, 100 houses have gone under water. In Koiladi Barsain 200 houses are under water whereas in Koiladi, Bhagwatpur and Bathnaha a total of 300 houses are under water. In Bhardaha, 150 houses are under water.
According to police, 125 houses in Dighwa and 50 houses in Deuri Bharuwa have gone under water.
Food distributed
Food was distributed to affected people in three VDCs of Saptari district on Sunday. The victims have not received any other relief.
District natural disaster rescue committee distributed food in Sakarpura, Rampura, Malhaniya and Bishhariya.
SP Bhim Dhakal, Saptari district police chief, said they distributed Murahi, beaten rice and salt to the victims.
Talks are on to deal with the crisis situation, he said. Chief district officer Baldev Gautam and officials from Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Nepal Army have inspected the affected areas.
Emergency meeting
A meeting of District Disaster Management Committee has been called to deal with the situation. Janak Koirala, administrative officer at the Saptari district administration office, said the meeting has been called for Monday afternoon.
