As many as 1,616 households are at high risk of water-induced disasters in Bajura, a hill district of Sudurpaschim Province, officials say. The landslides and floods triggered by unseasonal October rains two weeks ago further exposed the settlements in the district to possible disasters.

According to the District Administration Office (DAO), the recent landslides and floods damaged scores of houses, forcing many families to relocate.

One-hundred and fifty-five families in Rudi, 47 in Muktikot and 14 in Joru of Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality are at high risk of landslides.

“The villagers cannot stay in their houses when it rains. They take shelter at the nearby Mandali Basic School, fearing landslides. Several landslides struck the settlements two weeks ago. Some of the houses have developed cracks,” said Janak Bahadur Rokaya, the ward chairman of Swamikartik Khapar-1. “There is no alternative to shifting the settlements to safer locations.”

The situation of 19 other families of Pandhara settlement in Tribeni Municipality is also the same.

“A massive landslide occurred near the settlement a month ago. Many houses have become unsafe so the villagers stay at the building of a local school when it rains,” said Ram Bahadur Shahi, president of the Bajura chapter of Nepal Red Cross Society.

The DAO said more than 300 houses were destroyed by the recent floods and landslides. Some of the displaced people have been taking shelter under makeshift tents while the remaining have taken refuge in the houses of their relatives and neighbours.

“Though there were no human casualties, the recent landslides and floods caused major destruction in Bajura. Amkot and Nimani settlements of Budhiganga Municipality, Muktikot of Swamikartik Khapar Rural Municipality and several settlements of Gaumul Rural Municipality need to be shifted to safer locations at the earliest,” said Samir Bhandari, the assistant chief district officer of Bajura.

According to him, the federal government has released a budget to reconstruct the houses of 217 families and build temporary settlements for 151 other families in the first phase.

“An affected family will get a total of Rs 500,000 in tranches to reconstruct their house. And a family enlisted as a beneficiary for temporary housing will get Rs 50,000,” said Bhandari, adding that efforts are underway to relocate the at-risk settlements to safer locations and provide them housing reconstruction aids.

Gaumul Rural Municipality in Bajura is one of the local units most vulnerable to landslides and floods. According to the data available at the DAO, 925 houses are currently at high risk of landslides and floods in Gaumul alone.

The DAO informed that 309 houses in Swamikartik Khapara Rural Municipality, 186 houses in Himali Rural Municipality, 170 houses in Budhiganga Municipality, 80 houses in Badimalika Municipality, 71 houses in Budhinanda Municipality, 61 houses in Chhededaha Rural Municipality, 24 houses in Jagannath Rural Municipality and 17 houses in Tribeni are at risk of water-induced disasters.

“Several villages in the district are not safe from landslides and floods. Disasters can hit the settlements any time. Residents of these settlements should be relocated at the earliest,” said Hari Bahadur Rokaya, the chairman of Gaumul Rural Municipality.

According to him, Tuni and Sarkitol settlements in ward 1, Nanedanda of ward 2, Behari of ward 3 and Dandabada of ward 4 are at high risk. He said the local unit had already sent details to the district administration about the families who are at high risk and need to be shifted to safer locations immediately.

The multiple landslides also caused damage along the Barjugad-Jadanga section of the Sanfe-Mardadi road. The landmass below Amkot village in Budhiganga Municipality-1 has developed cracks, as landslides have damaged the road just below the settlement.

“Some houses have developed cracks while 113 others are at high risk. Our entire settlement is at risk of being swept away by landslides,” said Nandaram Padhya of Amkot. He urged the government authorities to relocate the settlement to safer places.