Heavy downpour over the last few days has posed threat to the settlement close to the Kalikhola in Lhamoizingkha, Dagana.

As a preventive measure for those living in Gwaltar village, which consists of about, three households, the drungkhag administration along with volunteers helped residents move to a safer place on July 23.

Lhamoizingkha Drungpa, Tashi Gyeltshen, said that every year the situation was the same with the river swelling. “Although it had been the same every monsoon, we have always tried to do whatever we can to prevent any disaster.”

He said that a household had to be convinced to move to a safer place.

Sibsooni Tshogpa in Lhamoizingkha Gewog, Rohit Koirala, said that the debris from the river had reached inside the houses when they entered. “Although there were no major damages, sands and stone aggregates stored for a house construction had been washed away.”

He said that when monsoon started last month, the gewog administration had informed people of the risk and requested them to leave the house for a month.

He said that officials are monitoring the situation closely. “No casualties have been reported so far; everything is under control.”

One of the residents, Barmit Lepcha, 53, said that the residents had requested for a river protection wall be built about three years ago. She is now staying with her daughter.

Commuters have to cross the swollen Kalikhola river to reach Lhamoizingkha as the other route via Gedu in Phuentsholing remains blocked at several locations most of the time during monsoon.

Rinchen Zangmo  | Lhamoizingkha

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