The flash floods and landslides that occurred last month in Phuentshogling have been estimated to cause damages worth more than Nu 41 M. This is according to the incident report prepared by the disaster assessment team. Aside from damages to property, more than Nu 200,000 were also spent on relief efforts. Incessant heavy rain in Phuentshogling led to flash floods, landslides and roadblocks on the 13th of last month.
In Phuentshogling Thromde alone, the damage assessment amounted to nearly Nu 41.5 M. More than Nu 25 M worth of river protection walls and municipal boundary walls were damaged on the 13th of last month. Damages to private properties were reported to be worth Nu 5 M.
Similarly, the water supply worth Nu 1 M and street lights worth Nu 0.1 M were also damaged. The NHDCL colony that reported a major flash flood saw damage to its properties worth Nu 10 M.
Residents say such incidences especially in Toorsa happen almost every year.
According to Thromde officials, to prevent such disasters, mitigation works should be carried out in higher areas from where the streams come.
“If we always report such kind of damages, it is challenging. We have to come up with proper mitigation works and all. Amochhu is taken care of, but streams flowing into Amochhu from rural areas are causing lots of damage. This also needs to be taken care of with mitigation works, slope stabilisation and control measures at the top or source of the streams,” said Uttar Kumar Rai, Phuentshogling Thrompon.
The Thrompon said responsibilities should also be shared by agencies or house owners in creating a safe place for the residents. The Thromde’s developmental works entirely depend on the yearly capital block grant provided by the government and therefore permanent disaster mitigation work at present is unlikely to happen.
Also carrying mitigation works on the slopes from where the steams come are going to be costly according to officials. Thromde officials said they are already worried about the budget to restore the affected areas.
Meanwhile, according to the assessment report, Nu 0.135 M was spent on relief and providing shelter for evacuees. Similarly, Nu 0.103 M was spent on hiring machinery for clearing roadblocks and diversion of water.
Last month, the ground floors of 10 NHDCL units and five private buildings were flooded by the nearby swollen stream. A similar flash flood and landslide were reported at Kabreytar along with several roadblocks.
Kinley Dem
Edited by Yeshi Gyaltshen
