Floods triggered by the bursting of a ‘recharge’ pond damaged 10 houses at wards 2 and 3 of Bhimeshwar Municipality in Dolakha on Sunday night.

The recharge pond burst following heavy rains in the area and caused floods in the Maryang stream. According to Nirajan Thapa, a local resident, the floods damaged a resort and 10 houses.

Armed Police Force personnel rescued the affected residents on Sunday night. “The locals have not been able to return to their settlements fearing floods,” said Thapa.

The pond was constructed in Khorthali community forest two years ago for wild animals.

Local residents say that the recharge pond constructed in fragile topography above a human settlement has put many people at high risk of floods. “The pond was constructed without proper study. The floods triggered by the pond outburst damaged many houses in the settlement and caused cracks to develop in the land,” said Thapa.

The Bagmati provincial government, Bhimeshwar Municipality and Division Forest Office in Dolakha constructed the recharge pond with an objective to set up an open zoo in Khorthali community forest.

Similarly, a landslide erupted along the Singati-Bulung road at Kholikham Bazaar in Bigu Rural Municipality-4 on Sunday night, burying six houses. Forty-five people have been displaced by the landslide, said police.

“The landslide is still running just above the bazaar area. The residents of Kholikham Bazaar have been relocated to safe areas,” said Sanjib Oli, the chairman of Bigu Rural Municipality. Security personnel and local residents rescued the people of Kholikham Bazaar on Monday. The local unit has notified people to stay on high alert as the area is still at high risk of landslides and floods.

Likewise, the main road connecting Kalinchok, a tourist destination in Kalinchowk Rural Municipality-1, was swept away by a landslide following continuous rains. The entire ward has been cut off from the rest of the country.

According to Ward Chairman Padam Bahadur Thami, the Sankhani Sangba road section connecting Begampa Kyampol in Kalinchowk has been cut off after the landslide. Vehicular movement along the road has come to a complete halt.

“In Lapilang of Kalinchowk Rural Municipality-5, people are crossing the road on an excavator,” said Thami. “If the road is not cleared immediately, transportation of essential goods would also be stopped.”