Rasuwa: Work has begun on the Chinese side to release water that accumulated in the Kerung Stream after a flood in the Lhende Stream on Tuesday morning. Chinese authorities are using heavy machinery to release the blocked water toward Chinese territory. According to local border security officials, large rocks, uprooted trees and logs had piled up at the confluence of the Lhende and Kerung stream, blocking the flow of Kerung and causing inundation towards China as well.
The flooding submerged over 30 Nepali containers and some houses in Kerung, China. On the Nepali side, 70 electric cars, six large Sino Company trucks, and 24 operational Nepali container trucks were swept away, according to Tulsi Prasad Bhattarai, Chief Customs Officer at Rasuwa Customs Office. Wang, a senior Chinese technician in Rasuwagadhi, reported that the sudden flood on July 8 swept away six Chinese nationals, three Nepal Police personnel, and five Nepali workers. Similarly, Dhruba Prasad Adhikari, Assistant Chief District Officer of Rasuwa, confirmed that a total of 20 people were swept away by the flood, including six Nepali drivers employed by a Chinese company. Similarly, the flood has swept away one tipper of Tibet Fuli Construction Group used in the construction of the dry port at Rasuwagadhi, along with one cement mixer, one excavator, one roller, and one Hilux jeep were swept away. He said, ‘Suddenly, a flood came in the river, and the security personnel nearby began shouting to move to a safe place, we panicked and ran away; the flood swept away some friends who couldn’t escape, but we managed to slip away to the Ghattekhola to save our lives.’ Likewise, Kami Chiring Tamang, the chairperson of Gosainkunda Rural Municipality ward No. 2 chair, stated, ‘As soon as we received the news of the flood, I remembered the people in the customs yard. We alerted them to flee while sitting on the hill. Then we asked our villagers at risk to stay alert; nevertheless, due to the unimaginable flood, there has been significant loss of lives and property, and we are currently in a state of grief here.’ Chairperson Tamang urged the government to pay attention to prepare a comprehensive damage report for providing relief to the flood victims and to create an environment for Nepali brothers currently in Kerung to return home safely.
Likewise, another local Purushottam Paudel informed that arrangements have been made for travelers returning from ‘Manasarovar-Kailash’ to come towards Nepal via the Tatopani border after the Miteri Bridge in Rasuwagadhi was washed away. Similarly, Chief District Officer Arjun Paudel mentioned that travelers who have completed the Manasarovar Kailash journey and have already entered Nepal were airlifted to their destinations by helicopter on the July 8 and 9. According to him, security personnel from the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force are currently engaged in search and rescue operations and are stationed to assist the incapacitated and helpless. Due to the floods, most of the road sections from Syaphrubesi to Rasuwagadhi have been destroyed, completely blocking the road and leaving the lives of people in that area desolate. According to Ward Chairperson Tamang, the work of assessing the damage caused by the flood in the Rasuwagadhi area has started, and local residents and employees are still in a state of fear.
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