In a recent update on the November floods in Baglung, the death toll had risen to three after search parties found the body of Kaml Sapkota, aged 20. The young man has not been seen since Thursday night when flash floods hit Bandre Adhaithar of Baglung Municipality-4. Sapkota was found dead about 500 meters away from the spot where the incident occurred, District Police Office’s Sub-Inspector Pratap Poudel said.
The main flood happened at around midnight on Thursday and left several people unprepared while moving along the riverside. The raging water current of the Bandrekhola rivulet in the valley flushed away a motorcycle bear, Dha. 2 Pa. 8010, and a scooter bear, Dha. 1 Pa. 9996. The accident involved tourists who were traveling from Kudule to Malika at the time of the mishap, adding to the calamity associated with the flash floods in the region during the monsoon period.
In the case of the incident, two deceased persons whose names were mentioned as Arjun Sapkota, 23, of Baglung-4, and Avishek Regmi, 22 years of age. Their bodies were pulled out in the water some 200 meters lower shortly after the aspect of the flood. The search for the missing climber Kamal came to an end on Saturday afternoon after Sapkota’s lifeless body was found.
Much effort has been made by local authorities to contain the situation and assist the families trapped. The bodies have been shifted to Dhaulagiri Hospital for performing a new autopsy of the three deceased victims. This calamity has inevitably reminded the people again of the significance of flood readiness, particularly regarding the enhanced system of warnings in the affected regions.
The event has initiated discussion among local authorities, Mayors, and communal leaders that advised hike call for stricter safety regulation for travelers during the monsoon period. It is suggested to provide better framework system like flies over, bridges to avoid such kinds of mishaps in the near future. They also plan to put up flood warning systems at strategic water sources across the country to alert people in the area and motorists.
While families are burying their young ones, others are asking what led to the loss of these young lives. Some residents said that the area lacked proper lighting and safety barriers along the scene of the incident. The local authorities have said that an investigation is to be carried out to establish whether there were measures that could have reduced the likelihood of the occurrence.
Flood in Baglung is not an isolated incidence, but it has become a phenomenon of occurrence of floods and other natural disasters in different regions of Nepal in recent years. According to climate scientists, it is very possible for such accidents to be more recurrent and intense because of shifting climatic conditions and pollution. This has led to efforts in demand for enhanced disaster preparedness and climate change mitigation and adaptation at the community and national layers.
Every time people come together to celebrate with their families and friends in honor of their beloved ones, the tragedy serves as the reminder of how dangerous flash floods are and how fatal it might get when navigating the territory close to water during the rainy season. The mayors are encouraging people to follow local forecasts and avoid going out during the rain and storms.
It has also brought into focus the importance of rescuers, such as first respondents, and the search and rescue groups participating in calamities such as this. The community has applauded their nimbleness and hard work in searching for the victims. However, the incident has also revealed that police, firefighters, and other emergency service providers work under very poor equipment and inadequate training in the rural areas to perform the daring operations.
