Sunsari has not slept properly for the last two weeks

ITAHARI/ BIRATNAGAR: Alauddin Ansari of Paschim Kushaha, Sunsari, has not slept properly for the last two weeks for the fear of floods in the Koshi River. “I have been staying awake all night. Who knows when the river rage would befall me,” he said.
The plight of Jalpa Devi Mandal of Haripur is not so different. She said she could not ignore the
talks of flood as it had turned into reality on August 18, 2008. “According to radio, the embankment of the river can collapse any time. So, I have not been able to sleep,” she said.
Residents in the villages near the eastern embankment of Koshi have been also terrified to spend nights. The situation is such that, couple of days ago Prakashpur locals evacuated the village fearing the floods might wreak havoc on them.
According to Mustak Ansari of Jamuwa Chowk, the fragile embankment of the river has terrorised locals. Mastak, who is also a member of the struggle committee of Koshi flood victims, lamented that they were destined to face the flood fury every year. Nasir Mansuri, a local, complained that the villagers earlier have suffered a lot from the swelling river but the government failed to pay heed to their plight.
Landless flood-victims said though some rich persons bought land in city areas with the government compensation, the poor were still facing problems. They demanded the government to arrange education for their children, provide employment and manage proper settlement for them.
The disastrous flood in the river on August 18, 2008 had wreaked havoc in Paschim Kushaha, Haripur, Shreepur and Loukahi displacing around 40,000 people of 7327 families.
In Mahottari, water level in the local Ratu river has risen posing threat to locals of Kisanpur Khadka Tole in Kisanpur-9. The village is exposed to the threat as it is surrounded by two branches of the river on two sides. People’s Embankment Project (PEP) has constructed embankment along the eastern bank of the river only.
A dozens of government offices in Jaleshwor municipality have also been inundated due to carelessness of the local consumer committee.
Flood fury saga does not end here. In Biratnager, Mina Magar (31), who went missing on Wednesday, was found dead
today in the Chisang River
near Letang. She was swept away by the river, said Morang SP Rewati Dhakal.
According to police, more than 5,000 people have been displaced due to the floods. Most of the villages of Morang district have been inundated as swollen rivers have gushed in the settlements. Around 2,000 people of ward
no 10, 11, 13 of Biratnagar have been displaced after nearby Singhiya river gushed into the human settlement.