Landslides have driven out at least three families at Tamadi in Waling Municipality-14 of Syangja district. 

The displaced families are searching for a safe area near the settlement to relocate. The remaining 14 families, meanwhile, have decided to stay put despite the landslide risk.

Bhim Luitel, one of the displaced villagers, blamed the ongoing road construction works for the landslides.

“The road project was started without consulting with road engineers,” he said, claiming that some villagers with political connection were involved in the project.

The under-construction road passes through the middle of the settlement. Luitel believes that the road construction works caused topographical damages in the area, leading to the recent spate of landslides following continuous rainfall. 

“Our village never had the problem of landslide before,” Luitel said.

Manrupa Luitel, another displaced villager, said their request to the project contractor to consult with the road engineers before moving ahead with the construction was not heeded.

“The contractor is bent on constructing the road, ignoring the landslide risk. We cannot stop the works because local politicians also have  stakes in the project,” she said.  

Dilli Pratap Khand, the newly elected chairman of Waling Municipality, admitted that the road project was the cause for landslides in Tamadi.  

The vulnerable households have been asked to move to safer locations, he added.

Flood damages hydel project 

LAMJUNG: Flood at the Rudi river has damaged the infrastructure of an under-construction hydropower project in Lamjung . The flood caused by incessant rainfall damaged the dams and power houses of Rudi ‘A’ and Rudi ‘B’ Micro Hydropower Project. 

A project official on Wednesday said that properties worth nearly Rs 300 million were damaged. Similarly, landslides at several spots along the Munribeshi-Singdi road have obstructed the traffic.