Floods again in Helambu: 20 houses washed away

SINDHUPALCHOWK: AUGUST 1 – The second flood in the Melamchi River of Sindhupalchowk has washed away two bridges and 20 houses. Some markets are at risk due to the floods.

The floods that came last night have washed away the concrete bridges connecting Helambu Village Municipality-2 and 6. Similarly, Sindhupalchowk Police Chief Rajan Adhikari informed that 12 concrete and 8 mud houses were flooded in Helambu.

Work is underway to relocate goods from the high-risk areas of Helambu-4 in Gyalthum Bazar and Melamchi Municipality-6 in Simkhet with the help of the Nepal Army and Police.

Locals have demanded the resignation of Mayor Dambar Bahadur Aryal saying that Melamchi Bazar is in jeopardy as the mayor has not shown interest in reviving the settlement. Locals were besieging the municipal office chanting slogans against the mayor. The floods have turned hundreds of acres of arable land into bogs.

One of the remaining bridges above Melamchi has also been cut off from the road connection of Helambu village after it was washed away by the flood. The red bridges in Helambu have turned into wards 1, 2, 3‚ Panchpakhari of Helambu and 1, 2 and 7, 8 and 11 of Melamchi Municipality. The floods have completely disrupted traffic in the area and caused problems in transporting food and transporting patients to hospitals.

Five people were killed and 20 others are still missing in the floods that hit the district on July 20. Five concrete bridges and six suspension bridges were washed away by the floods on June 15. The cause of the floods is yet to be ascertained.