Ground Cracks Force 15 Families from Homes, 80 Houses Threatened in Makawanpur
Heavy rains have caused the ground to crack and sink in Makawanpur, displacing 15 families and endangering roughly 80 houses, prompting residents to take refuge in a community school.
Following three days of heavy rain from September 25 to 27, the ground in Makawanpur's Morangedhap and Thulojyamire villages developed extensive cracks and subsidence, affecting an area of roughly two square kilometres. Fifteen families have been displaced and about 80 houses are now deemed at risk, leading residents to seek temporary shelter at Shankheshawari Basic School, where they spend nights after checking their damaged homes during the day.
Elderly resident Chandra Maya Thing said she cannot stay in her house after a crack appeared in the floor, while Gopini Bishwakarma expressed fear for her family's safety and urged the government to provide permanent relocation. Phulman Bhlon, chair of Bakaiya Rural Municipality's ward 6, noted the ground movement was most severe during the rain but has lessened as conditions improved, recalling similar incidents in 2001 and 2005.
Makawanpur Chief District Officer Basanta Adhikari and security officials have visited the site, recommending that those in hazardous zones be moved, and vice-chairman Bhakta Bahadur Khatri pledged municipal assistance for relocation. Conservationist Shailendra Yadav warned that settlements on the Chure are especially prone to landslides, subsidence, and cracking during heavy precipitation.
Why it matters
The event highlights the vulnerability of hillside communities to climate-induced landslides and the urgent need for safe relocation.
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