Flood victims face acute shortage of clean water & food
The lack of drinking water and the necessity of living in muddy shelters have exacerbated their hardships.
KATHMANDU: Flood victims in this region, rendered homeless by recent flooding, are facing a severe shortage of clean drinking water.
The lack of drinking water and the necessity of living in muddy shelters have exacerbated their hardships.
Bokai Sada, a local from Kankalini Municipality, reported that most flood victims have started falling ill due to the absence of clean water.
Consuming contaminated water has led to symptoms such as colds, fevers, vomiting, and diarrhea, he explained.
The flood victims sheltering near the Koshi Dam have been drinking water from the Koshi River and tubewells, which is suspected to be the cause of their illness. Sada stated, “My child is sick, and we have no food since our supplies were destroyed. We’re living in the open under the scorching sun.”
Another flood victim from the area, Bhagwat Mukhia, mentioned that no health team has yet arrived in the region. He expressed frustration over the destruction of food supplies and alleged discrimination in the distribution of relief materials. “So far, the only relief we’ve received is beaten rice, puffed rice, and noodles,” he complained.
Local flood victim Parvez Alam said the floods that struck during the paddy harvest season have left them both homeless and without food. Expressing concern over a potential year-long food shortage, he called on all levels of government for assistance.
Hundreds of flood victims from Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality have been left in dire conditions due to the flooding from the Koshi River and Jita River.
However, the mayor of Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality, Birendra Majhi, stated that the local government is distributing clean drinking water, providing timely medical care, and delivering relief materials to the flood victims.
Rajesh Kumar Jha, the disaster management officer of Tilathi Koiladi Rural Municipality, said that locals are struggling after floodwaters entered Wards 3, 4, 5, and 7 of the municipality.
In coordination with the rural municipality and with support from UNICEF, the organization Sabal Nepal is preparing to distribute hygiene kits, mugs, buckets, and mosquito nets to 252 families affected by the floods, Jha added.
