At least five people have died and scores of families have been displaced by floods and landslides triggered by heavy early-stage monsoon rains in eastern hill districts of Koshi Province over the past five days.

Taplejung, a mountain district bordering India and China, is hardest hit by the water-induced disasters. Five people died while scores of families have been displaced due to the floods and landslides in various parts of the district since Wednesday, when it started raining incessantly. Most of the rural roads have become impassable.

Sirijanga, Mikwakhola and Sidingwa rural municipalities are the most affected. Landslides have affected a total of 22 families in Mamankhe, in ward 6 of Sirijanga.

According to Bishal Kumar Shah, secretary of ward 6 of Sirijanga, the landslides destroyed two houses belonging to Bhim Maya Gurung and Gauri Maya Limbu on Saturday. He said that 24 houses at the ward are at high risk of landslides.

As per the record at the ward office, a total of 88 people from 22 families have been displaced so far. “The displaced are taking shelter at a local school building and in neighbours’ houses,” said Shukraraj Limbu, the ward chairman of Sirijanga-6. To add to the woe, the settlement is surrounded by landslides on all four sides, Limbu said.

Similarly, more than 300 families have been affected after landslides swept away water pipes of several drinking water projects in the area. “The landslides damaged water pipes and intakes of various projects, affecting around 300 families,” said Laxmi Mabo, a local school teacher.

According to the District Police Office in Taplejung, landslides displaced five families in ward 4 of Sidingwa and three families in ward 5 of Mikwakhola. The displaced are taking shelter in their neighbours’ houses, said police.

Likewise, the rain-swollen Hiriya stream in ward 9 of Phungling Municipalityswept away a Mahindra Bolero SUV on Sunday morning. The flooded stream swept away the vehicle while it was crossing the stream, said Police Inspector Kamal Kumar Lungeli. The driver was unhurt in the incident, Lungeli said, adding the vehicle was swept around 15 metres downstream.

Meanwhile, Sirijanga Rural Municipality has directed all schools to halt classes until it stops raining. “We urged the headmasters and school management committees not to run classes to avert possible risks of water-induced disasters,” said Lalkrishna Chauhan, chairman of the local unit.

According to Chauhan, telephone service has been disrupted in Sirijunga Rural Municipality with the obstruction of electricity supply from Saturday. “Telephone towers are not functional due to the power outage,” Chauhan said. “We requested the Nepal Electricity Authority to resume power supply, but we are in the dark about when the problem will be resolved.”

According to Chauhan, relief distribution has been affected due to continuous rains in the area. Representatives from the Red Cross Society and Talpejung Chamber of Commerce and Industry were all set to visit the affected areas for relief distribution but they could not as most of the rural roads have been obstructed by landslides, Chauhan said.

Chauhan added that the rural municipality has yet to assess the total damage caused by the monsoon-induced disasters. “We don’t know the ground reality in the affected villages as telephone service has been disrupted,” he said. “A team led by the vice chairman of the rural municipality has been dispatched to Mamankhe, the worst-hit settlement. We may get details of the actual damage by Monday.”

In Panchthar, as many as 60 families of different settlements in ward 3 of Yangbarak Rural Municipality have been shifted to safer locations as the settlements are at high risk of landslides. The victims were evacuated from Chothrok and Phaklung in coordination with the ward office, the rural municipality and police.

According to Bimal Rai, chairman of ward 3 of Yangbarak, the villagers of Chotrok have been shifted to a community building nearby while the locals of Phaklung have been shifted to Sirangaun. “Chothrok, Phaklung and Samakhu in ward 3 of Yangbarak Rural Municipality, and Sereja in ward 2 of the rural municipality are at high risk of landslides as it has been raining heavily in the area since Saturday night,” said Bimal.

Meanwhile, the Oyam-Phalaicha section of Mid-hill Highway has been disrupted after a massive landslide blocked the road at Rijalbhir. “It will take time to clear the debris as the landslide is quite big,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Hemanta Bhandari. “We have sent earth movers to clear the landslide but they are stuck on the way due to heavy rains.”