Flood Devastation in Melamchi Not Only Because of Rains
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WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 119 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 32.3 C 11.0 C Thursday, June 17, 2021 | 03-03-2078 Biratnagar Jomsom Flood devastation in Melamchi not only because of rains Experts say the mayhem in the first week of monsoon is quite concerning and with ‘above normal’ rainfall predicted this time, the situation could go worse. POST PHOTOS: HEMANTA SHRESTHA & ELITE JOSHI The devastation caused by the flooded Melamchi river at Melamchi Bazaar in Sindhupalchok on Wednesday. Floodwaters gushed into settlements and the main market, displacing more than 100 families. CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL shocked by the disaster unfolding in the entered settlements in Helambu, Melamchi farmlands at Timbu, Chanaute Bazaar, Meteorology, told the Post. “Even last year, KATHMANDU, JUNE 16 Melamchi area, nearly 60 km from Bazaar and the surrounding areas. Amahyalmo Buspark and City Park have when the precipitation was recorded only Kathmandu, in Sindhupalchok district. According to the District Police Office, been swept away by floods. around 20mm-30mm, there were land- The first spell of monsoon has wreaked Floodwaters from the Melamchi river the raging river swept away eight Experts, however, say rainfall is not the slides in the district.” havoc like never before. In less than a have gushed into the settlements and main resorts, two motorable bridges and six only cause for the floods and the subse- Kadel said landslides could have blocked week after the monsoon arrived in Nepal, market, displacing over 100 families and suspension bridges from Helambu to quent devastations in the Melamchi and the river before suddenly releasing the massive devastations have been seen leaving behind destruction that could run Melamchi Bazaar. More than 150 houses nearby areas. floodwaters downstream or there could be across the country. Major rivers and into millions of rupees. Videos and photos were inundated, displacing hundreds of According to meteorologists, the rain- heavy downpour in a small isolated area. streams have swollen up dangerously, rais- posted on social media show muddy water people, officials said. fall data in Sindhupalchok district shows “The land is already weakened by earth- ing fears among communities living near- reaching as high as the first floor of hous- “A body was recovered from the banks that the area has not received the amount quakes and water seepage from the sur- by. While districts like Palpa, Manang, es in the area. People were left stranded on of Indrawati river on Wednesday. Seven of rainfall that could unleash such a level face can cause landslides even with a Pyuthan, Syangja, Lamjung and Bajura roofs of buildings. Communication net- other people have been missing,” said of disaster. moderate amount of rainfall,” said Kadel. have been hit hard, Sindhupalchok is one works have been breached following a Deputy Superintendent Prakash Sapkota. “The rainfall data for Tuesday in “Landslide-triggered flooding can bring district affected the most, with hundreds power outage. “Most of the missing victims worked in Sindhupalchok doesn’t show that it down muddy water and can be more of houses already inundated. At least one person died and seven oth- various trout farms on the banks of the received a significant amount of rain,” destructive as it brings down a massive As reports of damage and losses filter ers have gone missing in the last two days Melamchi river.” Indira Kadel, a senior meteorologist with flow of water.” in from across the country, many are after the rain-swollen Melamchi river Eight trout farms, a bridge in Nakote, the Department of Hydrology and >> Continued on page 2 INSIDE Monsoon displacements Transitional justice bodies to get another term extension could complicate pandemic KATHMANDU: While extending the terms of the two transitional justice Temporary shelters for the displaced can turn into commissions by around six months in February, the government had said coronavirus hotspots while there is the risk of water-borne the existing legal hurdles in the tran- sitional justice process will be cleared and vector-borne infections, doctors say. by the time of another extension as a new elected government would be in place. The KP Sharma Oli govern- ment, which had dissolved the House of Representatives and announced snap polls a couple of months earlier, had issued an ordinance to extend the terms of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons till July 15. (Details on Pg 3) Wage gap between men and women persists, report says KATHMANDU: Last December, the All Nepal Football Association made a landmark decision to end wage dis- crimination between men and women national players, and pay them the same salary starting January 2021. Nepal thus became one of the few countries in the world to end pay dis- parity in sports. But in most other sectors, there is still a wide wage gap POST PHOTO: HEMANTA SHRESTHA between female and male workers, Having been displaced, people face the risk of getting infected with the virus and diseases. according to a recent study report unveiled by the Central Bureau of ARJUN POUDEL Sherpa. “The Covid-19 scare is there, Statistics. (Details on Pg 5) KATHMANDU, JUNE 16 but do we have any other option?” There is no electricity in Sherpa’s It was a tough day for Nima Gyalgen rural municipality since Tuesday. Bringing back the culture of Sherpa, chairman of Helambu Rural Suspension and other motorable paying for music Municipality in Sindhupalchok, one bridges have been washed away. of the districts worst hit by monsoon “My phone is about to die as I have KATHMANDU: The internet has com- floods. not been able to charge it,” said pletely changed how people listen to “Over 400 people, including elderly, Sherpa. “The condition of our village music. The arrival and popularity of children and pregnant women, have is much worse than you can imagine.” music streaming apps have hugely already been displaced and the number Monsoon officially arrived in Nepal impacted traditional album sales. could rise,” Sherpa told the Post over on June 13. The level of havoc floods Gone are the days when people the phone from Helambu on Wednesday have caused within days has once bought cassettes and CDs to listen to afternoon. “We have been arranging against exposed the country’s disas- songs of their favourite artists. For temporary shelters for the displaced at trous preparedness. And this time it is artists, amassing a huge number of schools and community buildings.” happening in the midst of a pandemic. views on streaming platforms doesn’t The situation is similar elsewhere The second wave of Covid-19 has hit always translate to financial gains, in the country where floods and land- Nepal hard, with over 5,000 people and for many musicians, that has slides have wreaked havoc. A para- losing their lives to the coronavirus in become a cause of concern. medic from Melamchi Municipality the last one and a half months. Daily (Details on Pg 8) said people in their hundreds have infection count had peaked to 9,317 on been displaced and arranging May 11, largely due to rising cases in shelters and food for them has Kathmandu Valley. The daily new become a challenge. cases have now come down after The monsoon mayhem in the restrictions were imposed in the midst of the coronavirus pan- Valley. Experts, however, say the risk demic has now doubled the risk is not over yet and that the virus has of infections. There is no other reached rural areas and the hill com- option than to keep the displaced munities, the regions that are most at temporary shelters, which, in vulnerable to flooding and landslides. turn, can turn into coronavirus The monsoon in Nepal strengthens hotspots. quickly in June and peaks through “For us, priority now is saving July before becoming weaker in the lives of people and moving August-September. them to safe locations,” said >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Kanchanpur sees decline Covid-19 spreading in several high in Covid-19 cases altitude villages of Mugu BHAWANI BHATTA 16 HDU and 50 isolation beds. Out KANCHANPUR, JUNE 16 of the total 72 beds, 59 beds are vacant now. The onset of monsoon has disrupted roads in the district, hampering the treatment of coronavirus patients. Health institutions in Kanchanpur “Until four weeks ago, the hospital have been seeing a steady decline in was packed with Covid-19 patients. coronavirus caseloads in the last two But the rate of Covid-19 infection RAJ BAHADUR SHAHI Mugamkarmarong Rural weeks with health officials reporting a has been gradually decreasing. The MUGU, JUNE 16 Municipality does not have an isola- drop in infection rate. hospital has been receiving one or tion facility. Covid-19 patients in the According to Siddharaj Bhatta, pub- two new Covid-19 cases these days,” Health officials in Mugu have raised local unit are deprived of proper treat- lic health inspector of the District said Dr Arjun Bhatta of Mahakali concerns about the high rate of coro- ment due to a shortage of health work- Health Office in Kanchanpur, Covid-19 Hospital. navirus infection in Mugamkarmarong ers and medicines. infection rate is at five percent in the Health workers say the prohibitory Rural Municipality. The health institutions at Rius, district at present. orders put in place on April 29 by the The local body has dispatched Magri and Pulu of the rural munici- “The rate of recovery has increased District Administration Office in health teams to several villages to run pality are facing an acute shortage of this month,” he said.