Tikapur: Continuous rainfall over the past few days has caused significant disruption in Kailali district, leading to the displacement of 313 households in Bhajani municipality and 174 in Tikapur municipality. The heavy rains have led to severe flooding, forcing displaced families to seek shelter in community buildings, schools, relatives' homes, streets, and open areas.

Bhajani municipality has been the hardest hit by the flooding, with 4,848 families affected, according to Bishnu Neupane, the chief of the disaster management committee. "Managing such a large number of displaced people is extremely difficult. The municipality has distributed 1,800 bottles of drinking water, but the displaced are struggling to manage food, having to bring whatever they can salvage from their inundated homes," Neupane stated. He also mentioned that most roads in the area have been damaged, and 75 percent of the arable land in Bhajani is underwater.

Kewal Chaudhari, the mayor of Bhajani municipality, highlighted the extensive damage and the plight of the residents. "Bhajani is in utter disarray. Not only are people displaced, but livestock and crops are also damaged, and everything in the houses is drenched," he shared. He emphasized that the municipality alone cannot handle the disaster and urged the federal government to provide immediate assistance.

Displaced residents from Bhajani are currently living in tents on the streets, facing multiple risks such as continuous rainfall and mosquito bites, according to local resident Krishna Dhamala.

In Tikapur municipality, the flooded Mohana River has entered human settlements, displacing a large number of people in Ward No. 6. Chief of disaster management Nirmala Chaudhari reported that the households from Bhagwanpur, Preni, Narayanpur, Milanpur, Bhartapur, Sundarpur, and Baghmara were displaced due to the floods. "It is difficult to reach the inundated site," she added.

Baghmara, in particular, is experiencing flooding for the first time due to a narrow channel constructed for an irrigation project in Ward No. 4, as stated by Ward Chair Lal Bir Chaudhari.

The disaster management committee has decided to seek assistance from the Rani Jamara Irrigation Project to repair the at-risk dams to prevent further flooding.