Myagdi, November 4
A geological study has been conducted in landslide-affected areas of Jaljala Rural Municipality in Parbat district, adjoining Beni, the district headquarters of Myagdi, which was affected by recent monsoon-related disasters.
A team of geologists from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), along with rural municipality representatives and technical personnel, studied settlements damaged by landslides and those at risk.
According to Deepak Acharya, vice-chairperson of Jaljala Rural Municipality, a team including geologists Suman Pandey and Sandesh Regmi studied landslide-affected areas in Farse, Kirakhor, Khanigaun and Tangbang on Tuesday.
“We will study landslide-affected areas in Kerabari, Pulchowk and Bhedabari today,” he said. “The authority sent the team of geologists at the request of the rural municipality and on the recommendation of the District Disaster Management Committee to identify further risks in settlements affected by the disasters.”
Vice-chairperson Acharya said reconstruction work would proceed based on the recommendations of the geological study report.
The team conducted on-site inspections of damaged and vulnerable settlements, collected rock and soil samples, captured aerial photographs using drones, gathered audio-visual materials and held discussions with affected residents.
According to Acharya, floods in the Kaligandaki River and landslides following continuous rainfall from September 24 to 27 damaged 316 houses in Jaljala.
Preliminary data show that 126 houses were completely destroyed, 50 sustained partial damage and 140 are at risk, said rural municipality chairperson Raju Prasad Acharya.
The floods and landslides caused unprecedented damage to private homes, agricultural land used for millet and paddy cultivation and orange farming, roads, drinking water and irrigation facilities, as well as infrastructure built to protect settlements.
According to Chairperson Acharya, Farse in Jaljala Rural Municipality-8 suffered the heaviest damage, with 75 houses swept away by the Kaligandaki River and 27 others at risk.
Among those affected, people who have no alternative homes and cannot manage accommodation on their own have been sheltered in temporary camps.
Besides Farse, Tangbang and Khanigaun in Ward No. 7 have also been affected. Lama Khet in Ward No. 4 was also damaged after floodwaters from the Kaligandaki River entered the settlement.
Chairperson Acharya said 35 families from Tangbang and Khanigaun had been displaced by landslides.
He added that arrangements were being made to provide basic relief supplies to affected areas and that short-term and long-term rehabilitation plans were being developed.
—RSS
