The Ongoing Risk of Landslides Due to Persistent Rainfall Poses Challenges for the Local Residents.

  July 15, 2024 By: INSEC

The continuous rainfall has posed a significant landslide risk to the Dalit settlement in Jharwang, Sunachhari Rural Municipality-3, creating serious challenges for the local residents. This settlement, consisting of approximately 26 households, has seen most locals staying awake throughout the night in fear of floods and landslides.

Jharwang, one of the most remote areas in the district, faces a high risk of landslides. Locals report being forced to sleep in barns at night due to the fear of floods and landslides. Despite the local government’s efforts to prevent the disaster, residents believe these measures are insufficient for complete protection.

Deepak BK, a 25-year-old resident, stated that weakened land has put the entire settlement at risk. He mentioned that while locals spend their daytime working in the fields, they are compelled to stay at relatives’ houses in the evenings.

Due to the incessant rainfall, 26 houses in the settlement are at risk of landslides, with six houses at extreme risk, according to Deepak BK. Residents of the high-risk areas are seeking refuge in their relatives’ homes.

The Dalit settlement in Jharwang, Sunachhari Rural Municipality-3, is at high risk of landslides due to the rainfall. However, the area has now been secured with wire mesh, as reported by Udaybir Gharti Magar, the ward chairperson of Sunachhari Rural Municipality-3.

Article 37 of Part 3 of the Constitution of Nepal guarantees every citizen the right to housing. It states that no citizen shall be removed or encroached upon their residence except according to the law. The Right to Housing Act, 2018 also provides for suitable and secure housing facilities for homeless Nepali citizens in accordance with the Constitution of Nepal. Despite these provisions, the continuous rainfall has caused landslide risks in the Dalit settlement of Jharwang, creating significant problems for the local residents.


Tilak Ghartimagar