NEPALGUNJ, July 1: Nalakalawati Loniya of Piprahawa in Banke District woke before dawn on Tuesday to the sound of water rushing into her home. Within minutes, cold floodwater had spread across the floor, forcing her to choose between saving household belongings and moving her family to safety.
Her husband, Ramdas Loniya, was still asleep when floodwater reached his bed. As he woke up, he saw a snake crawling toward him. He drove it away before the couple rushed outside. By then, clothes, food grains, kitchen utensils, and other household items had already been submerged.
6 drowned as vehicle submerged in river
"Every monsoon brings the same misery," Ramdas said. "After a night of rain, our house turns into a river. We live in constant fear of snakes and collapsing homes."
Piprahawa, in Janaki Rural Municipality, lies along the Surkhet Road. Despite its location on a major highway, the settlement lacks a proper drainage system. Rainwater from nearby roads and drains collects in the village, causing flooding even after moderate rainfall.
Nalakalawati said her first concern was getting her children to safety. "Our food grains, bedding, and clothes have all been soaked. We are poor, and rebuilding our lives after these losses becomes harder every year," she said.
Heavy rain on Tuesday inundated not only Piprahawa but also parts of Nepalgunj, Kohalpur, Janaki, and Duduwa Rural Municipality. Roads, marketplaces, and residential areas were submerged, disrupting traffic and making it difficult for pedestrians to move around.
In Nepalgunj, poor drainage turned streets into pools of standing water. Shopkeepers struggled to protect their goods, while some businesses reported damage after floodwater entered their premises.
Residents blamed not only the rain but also years of neglected infrastructure. They said clogged drains, narrow drainage channels, and poor maintenance have made flooding a recurring problem. Although local authorities have occasionally cleared drains or filled potholes, they have yet to implement a lasting drainage solution.
With the monsoon only beginning, many families like the Loniyas are once again drying their homes, salvaging water-damaged food supplies, and trying to return to normal life while fearing the next downpour.
According to the District Disaster Management Committee, about 14,243 households, or nearly 68,647 people, remain at high risk of floods and inundation in Banke this fiscal year. Over the past decade, flooding has killed 31 people, injured 72 others, and affected more than 39,000 households in the district.
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