Bhaktapur district faces the risk of disease outbreaks after it was badly affected due to floods in Hanumante river that occurred on Thursday.
Many settlements in the district with four municipalities remained submerged through the day on Thursday after the swollen Hanumante River spilled over its banks following incessant rainfall. Security personnel from Nepal Army and Nepal Police and Armed Police Force were deployed for rescue of the flood-affected people. Three people of a single family were killed when a landslide buried their house in Majuwa village in Changunarayan Municipality-7.
After the receding of flood waters, now the problem of clean drinking water has become a major concern for flood-affected residents of Bhaktapur. The disaster has added to the worry of Bhaktapur residents already facing the shortage of water. Statistics have revealed that 88 percent of water resources in Bhaktapur are polluted even before the disaster struck. Locals say they face a serious problem of clean water as their water sources were flooded.
One local Shanti Thapa said though the water is running at the tap she is still in dilemma whether it is drinkable or not. Doctors have been saying that the people should take precautions before drinking water as there is higher risk of spreading the contagious diseases such as diarrhoea and dysentery after the floods.
Assistant Chief District Officer Jaya Kumar Ghimire said they have made the people aware about the possible spread of communicable diseases. “We have told the local levels to inform the general public to adopt measures for purifying the drinking water,” he said Ghimire.
Likewise, Chief of Drinking Water and Sanitation Division Office Bhaktapur, Sarbendra Jha said they have made all necessary arrangements for ensuring safe drinking water in the district. “There is no problem in water supply pipes. We have also been supplying tanker water,” he said. “We have been able meet the demand for water supply in coordination with the municipalities,”
Saying that they have informed the people relying on traditional sources of water to consume the water only after purification, Jha said, “We have been broadcasting the information about need to purify water, and supplying the kits necessary to purify the water in coordination with municipalities.”
In the same manner, District Public Health Office Bhaktapur Chief Krishna Bahadur Chand said they have been raising the public awareness about the possible spread of disease in the aftermath of the flood. “We are coordinating with health workers for public awareness,” he added.
Doctors say the grains, clothes, plastics soaked by the flood water, mud and filth can be the perfect breeding ground for the spread of diseases. Locals say the municipality should pay attention to manage the garbage littered everywhere following the flood.
Meanwhile, CDO Ghimire said the administration has already provided Rs 310,000, as per the decision of Disaster Management Committee, to the family losing three members in the disaster. He said the details of the damage caused by the flooding are being collected and the relief materials would be supplied soon.
