Monsoon flood wreaks havoc in Siraha, Saptari

By Raju Bishwakarma

LAHAN, July 13: Numerous areas of Siraha municipality and Kalyanpur municipality in Siraha district have been inundated as the flooded Kamala River breached the levee at several points and entered various settlements.

Over 1,000 population of the affected areas have been shifted to safety.

The construction of ‘anti-flood sluice’ under the Kamala Irrigation Project has remained incomplete and the flood waters found an easy way to hit the river dam and enter into the settlements.

Sarswar, Basbitta and Gamhariyakatti have suffered worst. Chief District Officer Gopal Prasad Adhikari said the waters level in the inundated areas was growing and roads damaged, posing more challenges to undertake rescue efforts.

The District Police Office and other government offices including the District Livestock Office and Nepal Electricity Authority are water logged.

In Lahan municipality, over 100 families have been displaced after the flood waters hit the settlements.

Most of the houses at ward numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 are waterlogged. Eighty families of ward 1 and 2 have been shifted to safer places.

Lahan-based Area Police Office, Divisional Forest Office, Lahan municipality Office, Area Administration Office, Water Resources Office and Soil Conservation Office are largely covered by flood waters.

Water is running through the East-West Highway, causing inconvenience to the peoples and vehicular movement.

Similarly, settlements at the Mirchaiya municipality, Golbazar municipality, Sukhipur municipality and Aurahi rural municipality have come under water.

Security squads have been mobilized for the rescue efforts. People of other vulnerable areas have been urged to remain watchful.

Similarly, until the filing of this report, efforts were going on to rescue six workers hired for the bridge construction project at Siraha-6.

They were caught by the Kamala River flood and the district administration was facing challenges to save them from the danger.

“We were informed last night about the six workers marooned in flood water. High water level in the river had aborted the efforts to rescue them immediately. There is no situation to call a helicopter from Kathmandu either,” the CDO said.

Similarly, the newly constructed bridge over the Khadak River at Bodebarsain municipality-5 in the neighboring Saptari district was swept away by the flood after it collapsed the pillars.

With this, the East -West Postal Highway here has come to a complete standstill, confirmed Area Police Office Bode Barsain.

Settlement at Bode Barsai municipality-5 and the Tharu and Musahar settlements at ward no 7 have been submerged by the flood waters.

Besides, Dhangadhi, Sarswor, Kushmahar, Kachan, Deuri and Khadakpur of Bode Barsain have come under water as the flood from the local Boka River entered the settlements, said municipality mayor Aatesh Singh Yadav.

Electricity supply has been disrupted and the Bode Barsain market cut off following the damage of roadway under the Postal Highway.