Rajbiraj, August 21

Children in Dalit settlements of Bishnupur Rural Municipality in Saptari are in dire need of relief materials, as they have lost their houses along with clothes and food grains in the recent floods in the district.

The hapless children, along with their parents, have been taking shelter in makeshift tents on the roadside. They are just surviving on food items such as noodles, biscuits, and beaten rice provided by different organisations.

Dilip Sada, a victim, said he lost everything in the flood. “How can I manage clothes for my children when I am struggling for daily meals?” he said.

Flood victims said children in Dalit settlements had no food to eat and no clothes to wear. They complained that the government had paid no attention to their plight.

Puran Sada, another victim, said the flood victims were in desperate need of government relief and rehabilitation.

As many as 40 homeless families from Dalit settlements have been taking refuge at a local school and community buildings. Some of them are living under the open sky. Reports said a total of 3,990 families had been displaced due to floods in local rivers in the district.

As the rain fall is gradually receding, floods wreaked havoc across Terai region with at least 80 death,50 disappeared and inundating more than fifty thousand houses and displacing over 21000 families.

According to Ministry of home affairs, the entire southern part of the central and eastern district has been submerged in water. Eastern parts of Terai have been severely affected by the floods.

According to Flood Alert issued by Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the water level is receding in the river like West Rapti, Babai and others. However, there is a fluctuation of water level Riu River of Chitwan and Rapti.

Flood Monitoring Division said it is likely to see the flood in Baghmati, Rapti, Riu, West Rapti and West Babai in next 24 hours as the pressure of rain is in around those areas.

However, the water level in major rivers including Kosi, Narayani, Karnali and Mahakali will be normal.  Eastern Part of Nepal is gradually backing into normal with the monsoon moved towards west.

According to Meteorological Forecasting Division, there will be generally cloudy throughout the country and light to moderate rain likely to occur at some places in the central and western regions and at a few places of the eastern region.

In Saptari district alone more than 1,500 houses have been submerged in water and 350 families have been displaced. As the land and houses submerged people have gathered at sections of many roads.

The government has announced Rs.200, 000 thousand immediate relief to the family of the death.

Among those displaced, children, women and elderly people and their situation are worse. Rescue and relief are challenging because there are no means of transport available. Flood has basically affected the Dalit community.

 If the administration does not supply food, water, medicines in the flood affected zones; it is going to invite a huge problem. The dirty water is everywhere. It might be hazardous,” he stated.