Bajura, Aug 12

Physical connectivity has snapped at Gaumul rural municipality-2, Ajayatodki village after the flood-fed Budhiganga River swept away a suspension bridge.

A team of police personnel and rescuers from the rural municipality has returned empty handed. Vice-chair of the rural municipality Sita Thapa informed that the rescue team could not reach the village in absence of a suspension bridge.

The team returned for not finding any alternative to go across the river for the rescue of the flood survivors and there was no option but to rescue the people through helicopter, said Bajura District Police Office chief Tanka Prasad Bhattarai. The entire village has remained out of contact with the flood sweeping away the suspension bridge.

According to the rural municipality, the flood-inflicted loss has yet to be ascertained. Ram Bahadur Buda, a local, said the flood has also put the human settlement at risk and so far took away some houses along the river side. There are 97 family members in 20 households at Ajayatodki village. Efforts are being made for helicopter arrangement and the survivors would be rescued soon, said Chief District Officer Krishna Gaire.

The state has shown apathy to the dire needs of local people of the village in the difficult moment, locals said, adding helicopters was much needed to rescue the flood-hit people but the state mechanism is turning deaf ear to that end. Flood took away everything so they are struggling to survive their livelihoods, locals recounted.

Meanwhile, a dead child was found on the bank of the Budhiganga River at Triveni municipality-8, Kalapani. According to the police, the deceased was identified as a seven-month daughter of Khadak Luhar, a local of Triveni-8, Pantali.