Floods toll at 46 in West

ANKE/KAILALI: The flash floods and landslides continued taking toll in the western districts today as 12 more deaths are reported. With this, the toll has risen to 46. Six persons have still been missing while more than 25, 000 people have been rendered homeless in the nature’s fury. Three more deaths are reported from Achham villages where 17 were already perished on Tuesday. Likewise, four of a family died in Parbat and two in Kanchanpur today. One more person died in Bajhang today, adding the toll to three. Two others - one each in Doti and Jumla - also died today, the police said. Six persons — two in Kailali, one each in Dang, Rukum, Lamjung and Banke — have gone missing in after they were swept away by rivers. Durga Bahadur Bhandary, Binu Bhandary, Sima Bhandary and Dipachan Bhandary were those killed when their houses in Thapathana VDC-5, Parbat, collapsed in a landslide early morning, the local police said. The three fresh deaths were reported from Achham’s Marku VDC-7 on Wednesday, CDO Gyan Prasad Dhakal said. More than 150 families have been displaced in the district.

The swollen Karnali River has surrounded around 500 residents of Kailali’s Dhanasinghapur and Narayanpur areas. Family members of some 100 households have been marooned. Kailali CDO Hari Krishna Poudel said the landslide victims could not be rescued due to the unavailability of helicopters. Other 1, 000 families have been displaced by the flood in the district. In Banke’s Baijapur, five persons who had gone to the Rapti riverbanks in search of gold two days ago, is yet to be known. Lack of search of those missing and rescue of those stranded have been aggravating the situation in the flood-hit districts. The landslide victims of Achham’s Patalkot have been living with empty stomach as foodstuffs could be supplied to them. In Doti, more than 2,000 displaced families have been taking shelter in schools and other buildings. There too, they are facing problems due to lack of proper foodstuff and drinking water.