Rs 500 million worth of infrastructures destroyed in flooding, landslides; Lawmakers call for rescue efforts

Kathmandu / June 18: Around Rs 500 million worth of infrastructures have been destroyed in flooding and landslides in eastern Nepal.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Management Prakash Jwala informed today’s meeting of the House of Representatives about the matter.

“Heavy flooding and landslips due to rainfall in districts including Taplejung, Tehrathum, Sankhuwasabha and Panchthar have caused huge losses. Some people have lost their lives while others have gone missing in the disaster. I personally and on behalf of the government want to offer condolences to the victims.”

Rescue efforts and relief distribution have been sped up, he said, adding that Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police, and government employees have been deployed to the incident sites for rescue efforts and relief distribution.

“Taplejung has been cut off from other districts after flooding swept away a bridge over the Huwa River. Electricity has been also discontinued. Five meters road along the Arun corridor has been damaged,” he said.

The Mid-Hill Highway has been damaged in some places, he said.

Lawmakers call for launching rescue efforts, relief distribution to flood victims

Lawmaker Deepak Khadka has urged the government to launch search and rescue efforts of the people victimised by flooding and landslides in various districts in the eastern hilly areas including Sankhuwasabha, Tehrathum, Taplejung and Panchthar. The natural disaster caused by incessant rain since some days has damaged properties worth thousands of rupees.

Speaking in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR), he said, “Sixteen workers at the Super Hewa hydropower have gone missing in a flooding, three have been recovered, one has died and three were injured. Besides, information about the disappearance of people due to flooding and landslides is coming. Security personnel, political parties have reached the incident sites for rescue efforts.”

The hydropower plant has been damaged, and three bridges and a suspension bridge swept away, he said. Total losses in the disasters are estimated to be millions of rupees, he said. Crops have been destroyed, and 11 houses displaced, he said.

He demanded that the government launches rescue efforts, and relief distribution immediately. He referred that he met with Prime Minister today morning and requested him about managing reliefs at the earliest.

Similarly, lawmaker Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai has urged the government and other stakeholders to join rescue efforts and relief distribution to the flood and landslide victims. He was attending today’s HoR session. RSS