Landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains have displaced dozens of families in various places across the country in the past 24 hours. Landslides have damaged several houses while many others are at high risk.

As many as 41 families have been displaced at Ward No 3 and 6 of Jiri Municipality in Dolakha. Multiple landslides have erupted just below the settlement at Jiri-6 that displaced 14 families following heavy rainfall in the district since Wednesday.

The displaced families are taking shelter at the houses of their relatives and neighbours. “The landslides that occurred below are moving upwards and approaching the settlement,” said Dipak Jirel, a displaced victim of Jirri Municipality-6. “So we left the house to save our lives.”

Similarly, a total of 27 families have been displaced in Kharayoban, Mathillo Kharayoban, and Kathame, among other settlements, in Jiri Municipality-3. “Efforts are under way to move the displaced to safer places and provide them relief materials,” said Man Bahadur Jirel, member secretary of the municipality’s disaster management committee.

Likewise, a landslide destroyed two houses and partially damaged 11 others in Melung Rural Municipality, Dolakha. According to Nabaraj Khadka, ward chairman of Melung-7, the villagers were shifted to safer places with at least 23 houses in the settlement at high risk of landslides.

“Landslides have erupted above as well as below the settlement,” Khadka said, adding that the ward office building and two schools are also at risk. “We have asked the displaced to move away from landslide-prone areas.”

Meanwhile, the district natural disaster management committee has urged people living near the Tamakoshi river to stay on high alert as the water level has increased in the river due to continuous rains.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Ganga Prasad Paudel said security personnel have been deployed for the rescue in the landslide-affected areas. “The rescue and relief works have been hugely affected due to continuous rains,” Paudel told the Post. “The disruption of the rural road has made our work all the more difficult.”

Landslides also destroyed a house and two sheds in Syamchet village of Aarughat Rural Municipality-1 in Gorkha on Wednesday evening. As many as 40 houses in the local unit are at high risk of landslides.

“With the massive landslide looming near the settlement, we left the house and are now taking shelter in a relative’s house nearby,” Shishir Lama, a local, said.

According to Raju Gurung, chairman of the rural municipality, 18 families have been displaced, while 22 other houses are at high risk.

The massive landslide bifurcated, with 18 houses left in the middle, Gurung said, adding the domesticated animals that were trapped in the landslide were rescued on Thursday with the help of Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the people's representatives. “Belongings, including food grains, were also taken to safer places,” he said. “Efforts are under way to shift all 40 families in the landslide-prone area to safer locations.”

(Hariram Uprety contributed reporting from Gorkha.)