KATHMANDU, July 11: A holding center for squatters at Radha Soami Satsang Beas in Kirtipur was inundated by floodwaters in the middle of the night, forcing residents to flee and leaving many struggling for shelter and basic necessities.
The squatters taking refuge at the government-run holding center were rescued after rising waters from the Bagmati River entered the facility late Friday night.
The incident has raised concerns after the government had relocated squatters living along riverbanks to the center following the demolition of their settlements with bulldozers, citing the need to protect them from recurring flood risks. However, the very facility designated as a safe shelter has now been hit by flooding, leaving the displaced families displaced once again.
Midnight flash flood inundates Beni Bazaar
According to Kathmandu District Police Range spokesperson SP Pawan Bhattarai, floodwaters entered the center at around 1 am. The water level rose up to knee height, soaking residents’ clothes, food supplies, and other essential belongings.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), 54 of the 154 people staying at the holding center were rescued and relocated to the Tribhuvan University.
The authority said through Facebook that six people chose to stay at a hostel, while 94 others refused to move to safer locations.
A joint team of 60 personnel from the Armed Police Force and Nepal Police was deployed for rescue and relief operations in the flooded area. Some of those rescued have moved to relatives’ homes, while others have continued staying around the holding center.
The NDRRMA said arrangements for food, drinking water, and other essential supplies for the displaced residents have been underway since Saturday morning.
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