TAPLEJUNG: Two villages in Taplejung district remain in darkness since last Friday after the seven micro hydropower stations were swept away by rain-triggered floods and landslides.

Residents residing in Maiwakhola Rural Municipality and Yamphudin village have been compelled to live in darkness after the disasters destructed the infrastructures of the micro hydropower stations.

A total of five hydropower stations at wards no 3 and 4 in Maiwakhola rural municipality have been rendered defunct since floods and landslides swept them away, said the chairperson of Maiwakhola rural municipality, Bijay Prakash Banem.

The power generation capacity of these micro hydro power stations ranged from 19 kilowatts to 64 kilowatts. Maangmaya 1 and Maangmaya 2, Thadekhola, Lodamba, and Yamphewa micro hydropower stations were completely damaged, shared chairperson Banem.

Similarly, power stations generating electricity from the Tumya Khola (River) and Kabeli Khola (River) in Sirijunga rural municipality in the district were also swept by the disaster affecting 170 households in the village, divulged Krishna Gurung, ward no 8 chairpeople of Sirijunga rural municipality.

Communication services in the disaster-hit areas have been adversely affected in prolonged absence of electricity, said ward chairperson Gurung.