Residents of Keureni, Saune, and Chayamdung in ward 3 of Sunapati Rural Municipality, Ramechhap, are living under constant threat as landslides triggered by the Khani river continue to destabilise the ground beneath their homes.

The communities have been waiting for relocation for months, fearing that their houses could collapse at any moment. More than 77 households across these three settlements now face immediate risk and require urgent relocation to safer areas.

This is not the first time the area has been affected. A major landslide struck the area in 1978, prompting temporary relocation. Once the land stabilised, many residents returned to rebuild their homes. However, from the last week of September 2024, ground movement resumed, and heavy rainfall in the first week of October worsened the situation, creating highly precarious living conditions.

Currently, Keureni and Saune remain the most vulnerable zones. Many homes have partially collapsed or deteriorated to the point where living inside is unsafe. Forty-year-old resident Sita Khadka described the challenges. “It has been more than a year. We have repeatedly appealed for help, warning that we are at risk. Yet nothing has been done except promises to relocate us. We are completely helpless here,” she said. Khadka said ongoing ground movement has made daily activities almost impossible, leaving residents in constant fear.

Sunapati Rural Municipality had decided last year to provide financial relief, offering Rs15,000 to families who suffered total losses and Rs5,000 to those with partial damage. Residents, however, say they have yet to receive the aid. Ram Shrestha of Saune said delays were due to pending bank procedures, though officials have assured that the funds would be credited within days.

Recently, a district-level team led by Chief District Officer Shyam Krishna Thapa conducted an on-site inspection of the high-risk settlements. The assessment raised hope among residents that concrete measures would be taken soon. Ward Chair Kul Bahadur Thing said all settlements in Keureni and Saune are at the highest risk, and 65 households have already been recommended for immediate relocation.

CDO Thapa said that the affected settlements are completely unsafe. “The landslide originating from the banks of the Khani river has gradually spread across the entire area, shifting the ground in all directions. No house in these settlements can be considered safe,” he said. Procedures to relocate the 65 most vulnerable households have been requested from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority to ensure swift action.

Beneficiaries for temporary shelters have been selected based on the ‘Temporary Housing Construction Grant Standard–2024’, and their details have been entered into the disaster portal. The first tranche of assistance has also been requested for prompt release. On November 22, district security committee officials conducted another inspection and prepared a report outlining immediate relief measures, including the provision of 35 tents and 20 tarpaulins to affected families.

Geological studies conducted by experts indicate that failing to relocate residents immediately will place them in even greater danger. CDO Thapa emphasised that the relocation process must be expedited. Support and facilitation from the Home Ministry and Urban Development Ministry have also been requested to ensure the relocation and relief operations proceed without delay.