Every year around this time, Gopini Bishwakarma of Morangedhap in Makawanpur would be preparing to clean and daub her house with mud for Dashain, the biggest festival of the Hindus. But this year, she is afraid to sleep inside as cracks have appeared on the floor and around her home.

“We are worried about where to take our family and how to keep them safe,” Bishwakarma said. “I wish the government would quickly arrange permanent settlement for us in a safe place.”

Fifteen families from Morangedhap and Thulojyamire have been displaced after the ground began cracking and sinking following heavy rain from September 25 to 27. Eighty houses in the settlements are considered vulnerable.

The displaced families are taking shelter at a local community school. They spend the day checking their homes and return to Shankheshawari Basic School at night, saying the community building now feels safer than their houses.

“We cannot stay in our house after cracks appeared in the middle of the floor,” said Chandra Maya Thing, a septuagenarian. Residents fear the ground could sink further and bring down their homes.

Phulman Bhlon, chair of Bakaiya Rural Municipality’s ward 6, said the ground shift was more pronounced during rainfall but had eased after the weather improved. Cracks and subsidence have spread across around two square kilometres, Bhlon added. The settlements are home to Tamang, Majhi and Bishwakarma communities.

Residents began settling in the area three decades ago after clearing forest land. Bhlon said the area saw similar ground cracks in 2001 and 2005. The community school was then moved farther from the settlement, he said. This time, however, the problem has reached individual homes.

Makawanpur Chief District Officer Basanta Adhikari and security officials have inspected the affected area. Adhikari said residents living in risky areas should be moved to safer places.

Bhakta Bahadur Khatri, vice-chairman of Bakaiya Rural Municipality, said the local government would work to relocate households at risk.

Shailendra Yadav, a conservationist and associate professor at the Institute of Forestry, Hetauda, said the settlements located in the Chure are vulnerable to landslides, subsidence and ground cracking during rainfall.