Floods and Landslides in Panchthar Cause 48 Deaths and Displace 376 Families Over Five Years

Floods and landslides triggered by rains in Panchthar have displaced four families in the Phalelung and Yangwarak rural municipalities, with entire settlements now under threat. DSP Anish Karn, the chief of police in Panchthar, stated, “The displaced families have been sheltered in schools, and significant land erosion has occurred in multiple areas.” According to data from the District Police Office, 48 people have lost their lives due to floods and landslides in the past five years, and 889 families have been affected. (12 Shrawan, Panchthar).

The eastern hill district of Panchthar faces recurrent risks of floods and landslides during the rainy season. Changing rainfall patterns have not only caused human casualties but also severely impacted roads, bridges, arable land, and livestock. This year as well, the Phalelung and Yangwarak rural municipalities have suffered the most. Locals report that in Phalelung Rural Municipality-5, Lungmadin, four families were displaced by landslides, placing the entire settlement in danger.

According to records from the District Police Office, over the last five fiscal years, floods and landslides have caused 48 fatalities, with 9 individuals still missing. The most severe losses occurred in the fiscal year 2078/79 BS (2021/22 AD), when 35 people lost their lives. Miklajung Rural Municipality was particularly affected that year, with three families displaced and 15 people injured.

Alongside human losses, 889 families have been impacted by floods and landslides over five years, with 376 families displaced. Frequent destruction of roads and bridges has also severely affected agriculture and livestock farming. Keshar Bahadur Marati, Information Officer at the Panchthar Agriculture Knowledge Center, noted that recent years have seen significant damage, especially to farmland and cardamom cultivation.