Phurpa Lhamo | Wangdue

A flash flood in Ruecheykha village, Ruebisa gewog has damaged more than three acres of ripe paddy belonging to 11 households.

According to Ruebisa gup Karma Wangdi, the flood occurred past midnight on October 4.

He said that the disaster had damaged paddy fields at a time when the harvest season was a few days away. The same flood has also damaged farm roads to Jala village.

Ruecheykha village didn’t have electricity for two days as the flash flood disrupted power lines. 

Ruecheykha tshogpa Kado said that the households were provided temporary water supply as the existing water sources were damaged.

“Kitchen gardens and around 30 litchi trees and other fruits were also damaged,” he said.

Excessive rain for two days had triggered the brook above the village to flood.

Kado said that the mudslide flowed through Ruecheykha village, and damaged over five road turnings to Jala. “Then the flashflood flowed straight to the river.,” he said.

Today, the Punatsangchhu Hydroelectric Project I (PI) is clearing the roadblock between Jala bridge along the Wangdue-Tsirang highway and Ruecheykha village.

PI has its butterfly valve chamber (BVC) at Ruechyekha.

Gup Karma Wangdi said that damage report was filed to the department of disaster management and other relevant officials.

“We were hoping that PI would continue to clear the blocks to Jala. I have talked with PI officials. I hope they would help us like in the past.”

Ruecheykha village is located around 10km away from Jala. Numerous landslides along the Ruecheykha-Ula road were also reported the same night. Ula is also cut-off from the gewog today.

Tshogpa Kado said that the farmers were currently using an old path to commute.

“PI might clear the road from Jala bridge to Ruecheykha, which is around 7km. From there, if farmers are to clear the road, it would take some time.”