Dhalnath Sharma, 78, has been displaced after a landslide last week swept away his animal shed and left his house at high risk in Talloramtola of Baglung Municipality-11.

Sharma, who is taking shelter at his neighbour’s house, often goes to his landslide-hit residence. The villagers warn him not to visit the landslide-prone area but he cannot help himself, he says.

“We have been living in this house for several years now,” Sharma said. “The landslide is close to sweeping the land away. I don’t know if I will ever be able to build a house again.”

The district natural disaster rescue committee reached Rayadanda on Sunday to assess the situation.

As many as 12 families have been displaced in the Talloramtola area of Baglung-11 due to the massive landslide set off by heavy rains last week. Most victims are taking shelter in the houses of their relatives and neighbours.

The landslide also swept away a reserve tank of a local drinking water project and damaged several electricity poles in Talloramtola. The land in the area has developed fissures while the houses and sheds are cracked.

The disruption of transportation and water and power supply in the past week has made the lives of the locals difficult.

“The village had never experienced a landslide as massive as this one ever. We are living in darkness and fear for our future,” said Bishnu Paudel of Odar. “The authorities must work towards immediately repairing water supply lines and electricity poles.”

The landslide swept away the road in some parts of the Talloramtola-Kushmisera road section, leaving around 12 houses at Odar in Jaimini Municipality-1 at risk. An irrigation canal was damaged in the Odar area.

The landslide is still running and causing damage.

“Efforts are on to control the landslide and repair the damaged infrastructures but to no avail as it has been raining in the area,” said Gyanendra Gautam, ward chief of Baglung Municipality-11. According to him, there was no human casualty in the disaster as the locals evacuated the landslide-affected area immediately. “The entire area in the settlement has developed cracks,” said Gautam. “The villagers are living in abject fear.”

On Sunday, Chief District Officer Ramesh Dhakal led a team including chiefs of security agencies, elected representatives and officials of Baglung Municipality that visited the affected area.

The officials rule out the possibility of controlling the landslide.

“The landslide is so massive that it cannot be controlled anytime soon,” said Purushottam Sapkota, the chief administrative officer of Baglung Municipality. “Around 12 households should be relocated to a safer location. We will soon find the site for the relocation of the affected families.”