Hundreds still trapped

BY THIRA L BHUSAL AND LILA BALLAV GHIMIRE
LAUKAHI (SUNSARI), Aug 30

Though the swollen Koshi River has submerged Shripur, Yuddagunj, Kusyahi, Lahi and Naharchowk villages among others, in Sunsari district, hundreds of people have not yet evacuated their homes.

Some of them are staying inside the waterlogged houses risking their lives, while many others are trapped by violent currents at several places in the villages making them unable to evacuate.
Thousands of locals fled their homes as the raging river inundated entire villages, demolished houses and swept away huts after it breached the embankment at West Kusaha on August 18.
On Saturday, the local administration rescued 16 more people who had earlier refused to leave their homes, according to Chief District Officer of Sunsari Durga Bhandari. He estimates that there can be as many as 200 more people who are still unwilling to come out of the flooded areas. "When the water level increases, they send us messages requesting us to rescue them," Bhandari said, adding, "But, when we send boats or helicopters, they become reluctant."
Locals said many people have been trapped in the waterlogged villages. However, CDO Bhandari claimed Nepal Army personnel have reached each and every place and rescued all those willing to come out.

"There are many houses in which scores of people have been trapped. But, unfortunately we could not reach them with boats," Bindeshwor Mehta of Kusaha-8 told the Post at Laukahi, adding, "Yuddagunj, Lahi, Kusyahi and Naharchowk are such places." Mehta, who has been continuously involved in rescuing the locals and salvaging their belongings with his own boat from Tuesday, said that they (rescuers) could not reach many places due to very violent currents.
According to him many locals do not want to leave their homes fearing that burglars will take away all their belongings and valuables. Looters come with boats and take away the goods, locals said.
In most cases, locals have sent their children, women and the elderly to camps, to their relatives, or to other safer places.
Head of the families have stayed behind to guard properties. Some locals fled their homes requesting neighbors to look after their valuables.
"They have gathered inside concrete buildings as the river swept away the huts," Mehta said. Many have been taking refuge in a two-storey building belonging to former UML Member of Parliament Jagdish Kusiyat, he
said. There are several such buildings where people have found refuge but they are not totally safe. The flood waters can still wreck havoc on them.
Mehta has been ferrying people, animals and goods, making four to five trips a day in his boat, for the last 11 days. His boat can carry around 80
persons at a time,
according to him. There are 35 boats operating within the flood-devastated sites. Most are smaller than the one operated by Mehta.

‘Bodies decay’

Mehta said many people have been killed in the flood, and many others are missing. "Locals said several people have been killed or have disappeared. However, while making my rounds, I have clearly noticed five bodies
entangled in bushes at Kalastari, about two kilometers downward from the Nepal-India border," he said.
He could not identify any of the bodies. But one Rajendra Mehta who accompanied him, was able to identify the deceased, according to him. "They are all from Nepal. He can give every detail regarding them," Mehta said. Rajendra could not be located at the camps.
According to Mehta, the condition of those trapped by the Koshi is worsening each passing day. Those who earlier chose not to abandon their homes are now facing a crisis, he said.
"Likewise, many animals killed due to the flood are a pathetic sight. Dead animals could be seen floating on the Koshi," he said, adding, "Animals not yet swept away could be seen standing trapped at the same spots since several days."