Seven disappear as landslide takes away houses in Myagdi

MYAGDI: As many as seven persons went missing in a torrential rain-triggered landslide at Rikha of Dhaulagiri rural municipality-6, Marang in Myagdi this morning.

Marang ward chair Rajaram Subedi informed seven members of two families went disappeared in the debris of landslide fallen from Ghantiwang.

The landslide has swept away the houses of Bhim Prasad Jumjali and Dhan Prasad Jumjali, he added.

There were four members at the house of Bhim Prasad and three in Dhan Bahadur. Lok Bahadur Pun, a local and ward member, informed the landslide had rounded up Ghantiwang village located in a steep slope hill.

He further shared the disaster has displaced 13 households located in the upper part of Ghantiwang. There were six households at Rikha in the lower part of Ghantiwang. Four families have been rendered displaced with the landslide. “All the outlets from village have been taken away by landslide”, ward member Pun said, adding, “We are also hurriedly searching way out with the recurrence of landslide”.

Meanwhile, the flood occurred at Kalleni Dharkhola of Marang has blown away two houses. Bhuwani Poudel, a local, said the flood took away the houses of Bir Bahadur Pun and Paradevi Pun. Members of the families had narrowly escaped the loss of lives for being able to flee the scene.

Meanwhile, the flood-fed Raghuganga River has taken away Rahughat-based Bailey bridge along the Beni-Jomsom road linking trans-Himalayan Mustang district via Myagdi’s northern belt, informed Chief District Officer Gyannath Dhakal.

With this, the direct transport link between Raghuganga, Annapurna rural municipality and Mustang district has been disrupted.

The widening soil erosion increased risks to the bridge, said Deepak Karki, a local. He added sheer ignorance on part of the contractor in the construction of cemented bridge nearby put the Bailey bridge at stake.

Deputy Superintendant of Police (DSP) Kiran Jung Kunwar said police teams were mobilized in the landslide-hit areas at Rikha and Kalleni in Marang from Takam, Beni and Darwang.

Comprehensive details of the incident would come after the police teams reach the sites, he added.

(With inputs from RSS)