Neten Dorji
Trashigang-For the residents of Phongmey Gewog in Trashigang, located 38 kilometres north of Trashigang town, heavy rain is a double-edged sword. Last week’s downpour blocked the gewog centre road, leaving the community cut off.
The road leading to the gewog often gets washed away or sinks near Yudiri Bridge, isolating Phongmey from the rest of the country. Currently, the gewog’s administration reports no shortage of food items.
However, as the days pass and the road connectivity remains to be repaired, residents encounter challenges in transporting their goods.
Many must pay additional fees to access alternative routes.
“Since heavy rainfall began on September 24, there has been no peace of mind,” said Sonam, a mother of three. She expressed concern that other routes may also become impassable if flooding occurs. “It can happen anytime. I fear sending my children to school.”
Dhendrup Tshering, 58, recalls the flash flood that devastated his crops.
“Every time it rains heavily, I become very anxious,” he said. “We bring our goods from Trashigang and prepare for the monsoon season. However, we are often unprepared, as we haven’t faced a roadblock in many years.”
Another villager, Tshering Zangmo, said that there was previously no permanent bridge over Yudiri, causing floods to wash away the temporary bridge.
“The situation improved with the new bridge, but it has deteriorated again. Now we cannot even walk as there is no path,” she said.
In Lem village, shopkeeper Jigme Choden never anticipated being cut off for such an extended period. As a result, she has been unable to restock her shop, which is now almost empty.
“I have to close the shop because there are no goods to sell. If we bring in products from another route, it costs extra, forcing us to charge more for our items,” said a local shopkeeper.
The road serves as a lifeline for the people of Sakteng, schools, and the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary office.
“We are completely cut off from the rest of the dzongkhag since the road sank near Yudiri,” said resident Tshering Norbu. “We have another route connecting the gewog with Yabrang village, but it is risky to travel during the rainy season.”
Phongmey Gup Sonam Choden said that concerns were raised at the Regional Office of the Department of Surface Transport in Trashigang.
“When the road is in poor condition, people have to travel through Yabrang and Phimsong villages from Phongmey, and then continue to Rangjung,” she said.
Villagers noted that deforestation was evident at the source of the landslides. However, they observed that the affected area was not as extensive as initially thought.
“It seems that the water seeping underground has contributed to the growth of the landslides,” said villager Norbu.
He expressed concerns about the entire area being unstable and gradually sliding down.
It was reported that a significant portion of the annual budget is allocated to improving landslide-prone areas.
According to Trashigang Dzongkhag Administration’s disaster management team, both sides of the Yudiri Bridge are marshy and part of a water catchment area.
“Whenever there is heavy rainfall in the Sheteymey area, the water flow increases, eroding the riverbanks, which become unstable and gradually slide down,” said disaster management team member, Sherub Tenzin.
He said that stability could be achieved if a wall were constructed at the base of the riverbanks.
Sherub Tenzin also noted that the entire area is experiencing gradual sliding due to its instability.
Meanwhile, the Regional Office of the Department of Surface Transport in Trashigang is awaiting for official to study the area.
An official said: “We can only begin work once the geotechnical study is complete. If we proceed with clearing the landslides now, it would be a waste of resources and budget, given that the entire area is sliding down.”