Fifteen homes were destroyed when a flash flood struck Pathre settlement of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality-5 in Kaski on Tuesday night.  

Police said the damage was magnified because of a landslide that had occurred above the settlement in the evening. The flash flood triggered by heavy rains had washed the landslide debris and deposited rocks, sand and mud in the settlement. 

There was no human casualty in the disaster. 

“We evacuated our homes immediately after some villagers raised alarm about the water level rising at a local stream,” said Suka Mata BK, whose house was buried in the incident. “We fled with the clothes on our backs. All our belongings and foodstuffs were lost.”

The villagers were anticipating a flood after a cattle herder spotted a landslide in Korche above the settlement on Tuesday evening.

“Rains combined with landslide was what caused the devastation,” said Devilal Lamichhane. “The landslide debris had blocked the stream first. But with the rains battering the area continuously, it was like a dam bursting.” 

The flash flood swept away a culvert, causeway, electricity transformer, and poles. Some 500 chickens, four goats and a cow also perished. 

The displaced families have been taking shelter at their relatives’ homes and sheds. 

The local administration provided tarpaulins, blankets and some foodstuffs to the displaced people on Wednesday. 

Chief District Officer Tara Nath Adhikari reached the incident site and handed over Rs 15,000 each to the displaced families as immediate relief.

 “We will help in rehabilitation of displaced families and reconstruction of their homes,” he said. 

12 more Pairebesi families displaced 

RASUWA: Twelve more families have been displaced from Pairebesi area due to landslide threat. A massive landslide had struck just above the settlement on Sunday night, sweeping away 15 houses and killing four people. Three hundred and forty displaced people of 73 families have been taking shelter on the properties of Trishuli-III A Hydropower Project. On Tuesday, the Kerung Frontier Inspection Station of China had handed over relief package to the victims through the District Natural Disaster Rescue Committee.