NEPAL: Flood victims feel neglected

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

SUNSARI AND BANKE, 25 Jul 2005 (IRIN) - Flood victims in two of Nepal's flood-prone districts, Sunsari and Banke, located in the far eastern and western regions of the country, accuse both the government and international relief agencies of neglecting their plight.

In Sunsari district's Mahendranagar village, nearly 700 km east of the capital, Kathmandu, dozens of families have lost their homes and farmlands due to recent flooding in the second week of July from the Saptakosi River, after it eroded nearly 2 km of land. Almost 200,000 sq metres of agricultural land had been completely wiped out, residents told IRIN.

"We lost everything. My family is still hoping to get support but we have waited for too long," Menuka Rai, a 35-year-old mother of six young children who lost nearly 697 sq metres of her farm, a house and five months worth of food grains, said. Her neighbour, 65-year-old Lila Maya Rai's story was much the same.

She lost her home and almost 300 sq metres of her land two weeks ago. Both families are now living in makeshift huts on their neighbour's land near the forest, but it too is in danger of being washed away as land erosion in the area continues.

According to the Kosi Flood Victims Group, a community-based committee, nearly 300 families are at risk of losing their lands and houses to flooding. Every year, hundreds of families - particularly in the three village development committees (VDCs) of Mahendranagar, Prakashpur and Bharaul - are affected by floods when monsoon rains begin in July and end in September.

The group says that nearly 5,000 families were affected over the past few years in the three VDCs.

"All I have is the legal papers for my land, but where is my land?" asked 55-year-old Dhanbahadur Poudel, who saw his 745 sq metres of land washed away. Now his eight family members are living in very difficult circumstances without any income, food or shelter.

[ENDS]