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Khumbu is facing food crisis after the flood from Thame on 16 August 2024 damaged the Mapya-Khumbu Miteri bridge. Jagat Prasad Bhusal, Chief Administrative Officer of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, said that the flood severely damaged the Mapya-Khumbu Miteri bridge, making it difficult for vehicles to travel. As a result, the transportation of daily necessities to the Khumbu area has been disrupted.

The flood has damaged the footpath from Phakding to Namche in Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality-3, eroding 200 meters of the path and blocking footpaths in areas including Jor Salle, Toktok, and Ghat. With both the road for vehicles and footpaths blocked, delivering medicines and daily necessities to the Khumbu area has become impossible. According to Administrative Officer Bhusal, the Khumbu is experiencing a food crisis due to a week of disrupted deliveries. Additionally, the traffic route from Lukla to Thame via Namche has been closed due to the flood, further exacerbating the situation.

Flood Caused Damage to Health Clinic in Khumbu, Disrupting Health Services

The health clinic building in Khumbu Pasang Rural Municipality-5 was washed away by the flood from Thame on August 16. The flood, which came after an avalanche from above the building, destroyed the clinic, causing significant damage to medicines and other items and disrupting treatment services. Similarly, Ward Chairperson Pasang Galjen Sherpa of the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality-5 also expressed that health services have been affected for a week after the landslide swept away daily medicines, health materials, and equipment.

Due to the flood, the clinic building and other structures have been completely damaged. With the building where children are vaccinated and medicines are stored destroyed, citizens from the Thame area now have to travel to Namche for health treatment. Mingma Chiri Sherpa, the Chairperson of Khumbu Pasang Rural Municipality, said that there is an immediate problem in operating the health clinic in Khumbu. The citizens of the Thame area are deprived of basic health services due to the continued erosion.

Anju Karki