All efforts on rescue, relief distribution, temporary settlement to disaster survivors: DPM Poudel

Kathmandu, July 4: Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel has informed that government has concentrated its full efforts with utmost coordination for the rescue of and relief distribution to the disaster survivors in the wake of monsoon.

Home Minister Poudel delivered a speech on issues of public importance at the National Assembly meeting today and informed the lawmakers that security persons were mobilized in the area facing risk. He gave detailed information about the loss of human and physical properties, search and rescue efforts, relief distribution and rehabilitation of the those surviving the landslide and floods occurred in different parts of the country.

“Human resources are mobilized quickly to repair and reconstruct the roads damaged by landslides and floods. In some of the highways, at least one-way transportation is opened,” he said, adding that efforts are underway to repair the roadways as Besishahar-Manang, Martadi-Kolti, Kulekhani-Hetauda and Araniko highway which suffered much. Similarly, the landslips deposited at different places along the Muglin-Narayangadh roadway are being removed to open the traffic.

According to him, a total of 39 persons died since mid-June due to rain-caused havocs. As many as 226 disasters occurred in 22 districts including Sindhupalchowk, Bajura, Gorkha, Tanahu, Dhading, Chitwan and Doti. In the disasters, 31 persons have gone missing and 46 got injured. Some 200 houses were inundated in Sunsari.

The households have been shifted to safe places with the coordination of local disaster management committee, district disaster management committee and security agencies. Similarly, police persons shifted 31 households inundated by the flooded Sirsiya stream of Parsa district.

So far, 505 houses were completely damaged due to rain-caused disasters in Sindhupalchok, Manang, Lamjung, Kaski, Gorkha, Arghakhanchi, Khotang, Tanahu, Sarlahi and others. Similarly, 112 houses were partially damaged. The government record further showed that 36 government offices were damaged and nine schools and community building received partial damage.

The Minister further shared the information that a total of 15 motorable bridges and 23 suspension bridges were damaged by the disaster in the country. Even the access road to headworks of Melamchi Drinking Water Project and the bridge were damaged in Sindhupalchok. A team of specialists would be sent there for thorough monitoring of the loss to the project and initiate works for repair and reconstruction, he added.

Moreover, the monsoon-induced disasters have caused damages to a total of 43 drinking water projects (both small and big). Efforts were being made to start reconstruction process, informed Poudel. Likewise, 25 hydro power projects in Kaski, Lamjung, Manang, Sindhupalchok among others districts were partially damaged. Altogether 278 survivors of monsoon-induced disasters from Sindhupalchowk, Manang and Gorkha district were airlifted by Nepali Army.

Over 2,000 survivors from Sindhupalchwok, Manang, Dang, Bara, Dhanusha, Parsa and Sunsari among others were rescued by the security personnel and relocated to safer places, it was shared. Relief materials containing tents, sleeping bag and food items were distributed in eight districts hardest hit by the disasters, the DPM said.