Eight people died and four went missing in separate landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in Satyawati Rural Municipality, Gulmi, on Tuesday morning.

According to the District Police Office, six people died in Birkhuna landslide and two others in Kasingthala. The four missing persons are from Bhirkuna and Singdi.

Until Tuesday evening, police had retrieved six bodies from the landslide debris. Prakash Bhattarai, a local, said the area is prone to more landslides, as the rain has yet to stop.

“Tuesday morning brought in heavy rainfall that triggered landslides. Locals and security personnel are making efforts to search for missing persons,” Bhattarai said.

The injured persons are currently undergoing treatment at Thulolumpek Health Post. Yadunath Paudel, chief district officer, said the District Disaster Management Committee has started relief and rescue works in the municipality.

“A team of security personnel and officials of the District Administration Office has reached the incident site to start rescue work,” said Paudel.

In total, 75 families of Satyawati-3 and 4 have been displaced by the landslides. Most of them are taking shelter at their neighbours’ houses.

Durga Taramu, a teacher of Siddha Basic School in Singdi, said the school building has been swept away by a landslide.

“The settlements are dense around the area where the landslides took place,” said Taramu. “If the rain continues, the settlements are at risk of further landslides. The area has to be evacuated immediately.”

Landslides have displaced 15 out of a total 35 families in Bhirkuna. Dilliraj Bhattarai, a ward member, said that since there are hardly any men in the villages, rescue and relief operations have been delayed.

“Most men have gone to India for jobs, leaving women and children behind,” said Bhattarai.

The incident site in Singdi is around 65 kilometres east of Tamghas, the district headquarters of Gulmi district.

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