Khotang. The landslide at Bopung of Jantedhunga Rural Municipality-2 has been causing havoc to the locals every year. The Wasing landslide in Bopung, which began more than a century ago, has not stopped.

Dirgha Man Rai, a local elder, said that the landslide started from Buwakhola before the massive earthquake of 1990 BS. “The landslide that began more than a century ago has swept away dozens of houses and hundreds of ropanis of land. No one has the exact details of the damage caused by the landslide. But people have been taking shelter every year,” he said, adding, “No one has paid any attention to prevent landslides that have been falling for a long time.” The landslides that take place every year occupying a large area are not going to stop now. ”

The landslide that occurred at the Buwakhola rivulet that flows along the border of Devisthan of Jantedhunga rural municipality-1 and Bopung of ward no 2 in the southern part of the district has not caused human casualties so far. They have migrated to other places after landslides buried their paddy fields.

Elderly Dirghaman, a resident of Yurang, said that the landslide has also washed away the trail route used by the locals of Huwala and Yurang for many years. “There is a water source at the place where the landslide occurred. The landslide is taking place even now as the water flows out during the rainy season”, he said, adding, “Even the Buwa rivulet gets blocked due to the landslide falling from above during heavy rainfall.” The river has also put the people of downstream areas at risk. ”

Locals are compelled to spend day and night worrying due to the washing landslide. Many people have left their ancestral settlements and have been living in various districts of eastern Terai after the landslide spread over an area of about one kilometer.

Bijaya Basic School, which is some 200 meters away from the landslide, is also at disaster risk, said school principal Birendra Rai. “Dumribote and Yurang villages are a little below the school. The landslide has already taken place near the village”, he said, adding, “We don’t know what will happen at what time.” Since the landslide has not stopped, anything can happen at any time. Everyone needs to take precautions. ”

The landslide caused the most damage in ward no 8 of the then Bopung Village Development Committee (VDC) Wasing and ward no 9 Yurang. According to the locals, 15 households living in the middle of the landslide have shifted to other places after the landslide started.

Mast Bahadur Rai, ward chair of Bopung, said that many villages are at risk as the landslide has been moving up to one and a half kilometers uphill from Buwakhola. “Locals of Waling, Huwala, Dumrebote, Ahale, Batula and Kharbani are at risk of landslide. The budget of the wards and rural municipalities is not enough to prevent this landslide,” he said, adding, “If the landslide is not controlled on time, many people will have to migrate to other places.” The concerned authorities need to pay attention to this issue on time. ”

Ward chair Kedarman Rai said the landslide has caused a huge loss to paddy crops cultivated by the local farmers in the lower part of Devisthan every year. According to the rural municipality, Bopung and other wards of the rural municipality are at high risk of landslides.