Three years after floods swept through ward 6 of Sinja Rural Municipality and washed away his home, Padam Bahadur Rokaya is still grappling with debt and delayed state compensation.

The floods destroyed his five-room house along with clothes, food supplies and household belongings, leaving the family with nothing. They spent around six weeks sheltering at a relative’s home before moving to a temporary shelter in a highland pasture area. While no one in the family was killed, the disaster wiped out both their home and livelihood.

The government had announced Rs500,000 in assistance for households affected by floods and landslides. But after waiting nearly 18 months without any clear timeline for disbursement, Rokaya borrowed Rs600,000 to rebuild a six-room house.

After completing construction, he received Rs95,000 as the first tranche of relief.

“The landslide took everything. The delay in government support forced me into debt,” he said.

His family of five has now moved into the new house. However, he said the second instalment of Rs150,000 has already been transferred to the rural municipality’s account but has yet to reach beneficiaries like him.

A similar story unfolds in Jodu, ward 6 of Sinja Rural Municipality, where Banche Budha lost his two-room house to a landslide. His family spent a year living in someone else’s property inside an apple orchard. The disaster also killed five cattle, while food grains, clothing and household utensils were destroyed.

With government assistance delayed, Budha borrowed Rs300,000 and completed construction of a new house in mid-July. He now lives in a four-room house but still carries Rs100,000 in debt.

Although he received the first instalment of Rs95,000, he says he is unaware that the second tranche has already been released.

“We were given clothes and food after the disaster. We expected relief quickly, but the delay left us with no choice but to borrow,” he said.

According to the District Disaster Management Committee, heavy rainfall between October 5 and 12, 2022, triggered floods and landslides that caused widespread destruction in Sinja, Tatopani and Guthichaur.

Chief District Officer Deepak Paudel said 146 houses were destroyed across the district, including 102 in Sinja, 34 in Tatopani and 10 in Guthichaur.

So far, Rs21.9 million has been released as the first tranche for the 146 fully damaged households. The second instalment of Rs150,000 per household is currently being processed and has already been transferred to local government accounts, he said.

Bishnu Bahadur Mahat, chief of the disaster management branch at the District Administration Office, Jumla, said Rs15.3 million was allocated for Sinja, Rs5.1 million for Tatopani and Rs1.5 million for Guthichaur. He said delays occurred due to procedural requirements, including verification and technical assessments.

The grant distribution process began after a recommendation from the provincial disaster management committee and a decision by the Karnali Province Cabinet on May 27 last year. Under the framework, the provincial government bears 30 percent of reconstruction costs, with funds channelled through local governments.

The disaster relief mechanism assigns 20 percent funding from local levels, 30 percent from the provincial government and 50 percent from the federal government. Households with full damage are eligible for Rs500,000 for reconstruction, while partially damaged homes receive Rs50,000. Beneficiary lists are finalised only after local verification and completion of required documentation.

Sinja-6 ward chair Lal Bahadur Budha said the first instalment of Rs95,000 was disbursed, combining Rs50,000 from the rural municipality and Rs45,000 from the federal government.

He confirmed that the second instalment of Rs150,000 has now been received, but acknowledged that delays have deepened hardship for affected families.

“People have already rebuilt their homes by taking loans, but they are still carrying heavy debt,” he said.

According to the District Administration Office, each affected household is entitled to a total of Rs545,000 in assistance. The office said a third tranche of Rs300,000 has been requested from the federal government.

The floods also damaged 18 hectares of Marshi rice fields, more than 400 irrigation canals and around 1,200 private structures across the district.

Sinja Rural Municipality chair Purna Prasad Dhital said the second instalment has brought some relief, though it has arrived late.

He said priority is being given to households that have already completed construction through borrowing.

The disaster also affected around 1,200 farmers, with 18 hectares of Marshi fields turning barren. The government later announced Rs412 per farmer as relief, but farmers in Jumla rejected the assistance, calling it inadequate.