More than a month after a flash flood hit Gasa, the Dzongkhag is still struggling to recover from the trail of destructions the flood has left. Excavators and workers have been deployed to clear the flood debris and roadblocks. But continuous rain is affecting the restorations works.
Besides damaging over 15 acres of wet land and irrigation channels, the flood has left three houses under immediate threat of landslide. The flood has also washed away two bridges, disconnecting the people of Gasa from the rest of the Dzongkhags.
The Dzongkhag administration in Gasa formed a committee for the assessment of the damages caused by the flood. Gasa Dzongda, Sonam Jigme said, if budget is available, construction of irrigation channels and restoration drinking water supply will be the first priorities.
Our reporter Sonam Tobgyel in Gasa says the Dzongkhag officials are also facing difficulties as they have to walk all the way to Punakha Dzongkhag for most of the official works, from printing of document to accounting.
In the meantime, the road at Gathana is causing inconveniences. The engineer, who is monitoring the site, said even after clearing the site for the ninth time, the road is still blocked.
The Department of Road is planning to construct a bypass road and temporary bridges to make travelling possible for the people of Gasa. For now, the people say, it is very risky to pass through the roads due to continuous falling boulders and bad road condition.
Besides being disconnected, the people of Gasa are also deprived of electricity supply. The power transmission towers were washed away by the flood.
The BPC officials said that with loose soil and risky conditions at the sites, it is difficult to carry out the restoration works for the time being.