Flood washes away Saljhandi-Dhorpatan road; relief and rescue operations in peril

Kathmandu - The disastrous flood that occurred in Dhorpatan municipality of the district on September 2 inflicted a big loss to the Salkhandi-Dhorpatan road section as a national priority project. The flood-fed Bhuji rivulet caused immoderate damages to human settlement along the banks at wards 5,6,7,8 and 9 and also took away around 10-km road section. It may be noted that the landslide occurred at Surtiwang nearby Dhorpatan Deurali – the only wild hunting reserve of Nepal blocked the rivulet and triggered a flood.

It had mostly caused loss of lives and properties in ward 9 of the municipality. According to the municipality sources, the swollen rivulet swept away Saljhandi-Dhorpatan corridor road as well as 11 micro hydropower projects, two schools, a health post and 11 suspension bridges. With the road section washed away, the targeted relief and rescue operations have also been affected. Relief materials received from different quarters have been stuck in Burtibang when reaching out relief to the disaster-hit areas, which is almost 121-km away from the district headquarters, was not possible.