Disaster returns to haunt Panchthar villagers after three years
PANCHTHAR, Oct 4: Residents of Yangwarak Rural Municipality 1 in Panchthar are living in fear after devastating floods and landslides struck the area for the second time in three years, destroying homes, farmland and livelihoods.
Floods and landslides on June 18, 2023 (Asar 3, 2080) caused extensive damage to roads, bridges, suspension bridges, houses, sheds and other infrastructure. Flooding in the Murunga, Mewa and Lambakhola rivers and smaller streams, coupled with landslides at hundreds of locations, affected settlements including Samarjung, Magardanda, Kopche, Kholaghari, Chok, Chamlingdanda and Biruwa.
Before residents could put that destruction behind them, another round of floods and landslides in May this year caused similar, and in some places greater, damage.
“After the 2023 disaster, many of us thought we would not see anything like it again in our lifetime,” local resident Indra Bahadur Chamling said. “But this year’s disaster was even bigger. We were shocked.”
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At Chamlingdanda, Mahamlal Khawas lost his entire home. During the previous disaster, floodwaters from Lambakhola had reached his courtyard, but the family never imagined their house would be swept away.
“We escaped at midnight with only the clothes we were wearing,” Khawas said. “Within a minute, the flood swept away the house.”
The family is now staying in a house belonging to Deukumar Rai. Khawas said the disaster destroyed his house, valued at more than Rs 1 million, along with land and belongings. The family now depends largely on support from a son working abroad.
The landslide also destroyed the house of Khawas’s brother Kabirman. Cardamom and paddy fields belonging to 16 families, including those of Rabin Rai, Ram Kumar Rai and Jaharman Begha, were turned into barren riverbeds.
Ram Kumar’s house survived, but his main source of income disappeared. In 2023, a landslide had swept away cardamom fields producing around 10 maunds annually. This year, floods and landslides destroyed fields producing around 15 maunds of cardamom, along with two paddy fields.
“Everything has become barren. Not a single cardamom plant remains,” he said.
Rabin Rai’s house is also at risk after landslides damaged farmland below it and floods buried fields in front. He fears the family may have to leave when the next monsoon arrives.
Despite their losses, victims have little hope of government assistance. Families whose homes are completely destroyed are entitled to Rs 400,000 in government support, paid in three instalments.
Khawas said complicated procedures had discouraged him from pursuing the assistance. He spent Rs 9,000 in borrowed money travelling to government offices while trying to complete the process.
“I would rather build a house myself than fall deeper into debt seeking assistance,” he said.
Ram Kumar expressed similar frustration, saying applications filed after the previous disaster brought no compensation.
“If we survive, that is enough,” he said.
