A flood survivor of Itahari tells his story of city floods

Itahari: As per his everyday schedule, Surya Chaulagain, 52, returned home from Gorakha Department Store of Itahari at around 7:45 PM where he works as a security guard.

While arriving in front of Army Camp of Itahari before moving towards his home at Tulasha Tole, Chaulagain was swept by the increasing torrent of the flash floods.

He could not do anything to escape the rising floods. ”I could not think and act anything”, said Chaulagain, ”everything happened within seconds.”

Passersby and bystanders tried to rescue Chaulagain but to no avail.

Chaulagain was being swept at an area of Nepal Telecom Office of Aaitabare. He had not lost his consciousness. Having swept for around a kilometre, he found a tiny tree. Grabbed it. And shouted for outside help.

”After my screaming, local youths led by Rohan Sony dived into the floods and helped me”, Chaulagain said, ”If they were not swimmers, they could not have rescued me.”

Chaulagain has suffered wounds in his legs and back. It pains him a lot. Still, he frequents Gorakha Department Store for his regular duties. ”I took a break only on Wednesday and have been regular at my duty since then”, he said over the phone. He added, ”This time I am tasked to do minor works by seating.”

Chaulagain is one of the dozens of such city flood survivors of Itahari. Itahari is a floods-prone city in Province 1 thanks to multiple rivulets flowing through its territory like Budhi Khola, Tyangra Khola, Kheti Khola, Sera Khola, among others.

According to Bikash Bhattarai, a former engineer at Itahari Sub-Metropolitan City and now an engineering lecturer, Rampant urbanization, encroachments of rivulets and ponds, among others, are visible causes of city flood in Itharai
The sudden floods triggered by heavy rainfalls in Itahari have resulted in the deaths of four individuals. Chandramani Kafle, 72, Santosh Tiwari, 28, and Roshan Budhathoki, 21, have been identified. A dead body is yet to be identified.

Tuesday’s is not an isolated incident in Itahari. Even four years ago on 11 August 2017, six people were killed and a girl named Sanu Maya Rai has swept 8-kilometre away from her home at Gairigaun of Itahari-4.