Taplejung, April 15
Wildfires quickly spread from forests in Leguwa (Dhankuta district) and Chokmabu (Panchthar district) to nearby human settlements on Thursday, destroying 17 houses.
In Dhankuta, flames spreading from Kalasingh and Kukurmara community forests in Leguwa engulfed a nearby settlement, destroying 12 houses, the Biratnagar-based Eastern Regional Police Office informed. In Panchthar, a fire spreading from a community forest in Chokmabu destroyed five houses located nearby, the office said.
In Chokmabu, the houses of Tilochan Nepal, Laxmi Adhikari, Hiralal Ghimire, Devi Bhandari and Santosh Rai turned to cinders.
Police estimate that these incidents of fire caused a loss of Rs 33 lakh. A team from Panchthar district police office extinguished the fire at around 4.30 pm, about 2.5 hours after the fire started.
In Dhankuta, Bhola Lamichhane (45) suffered injuries when a fire spread from Chemjong forest, destroying 12 houses and claimed 10 of his goats. Lamichhane is under treatment at Jitpur health post.
Dhankuta district police office said locals and security personnel managed to extinguish the Leguwa fire on Thursday evening.
