SINDHUPALCHOWK: The death toll in the Sindhupalchowk landslide has risen to nine on Sunday afternoon after four more bodies were retrieved from the site of the incident.
Rajan Adhikari, head of the District Police Office, Sindhupalchowk, told Republica that seven dead bodies had been recovered from the site of the incident, and two more bodies had been recovered from Bhotekoshi and Sunkoshi. Adhikari said it has named the victims.
Those who lost their lives have been residents of three far-flung Sindhupalchowk villages. Bhaktimaya Shrestha, 63, 98-year-old Takshya Sherpa and 42-year-old Gyani Maya Pradhan from nearby village Nagpuje lost their lives in the landslide.
Junu Bishwakarma, 23, Sukulal Bishwakarma, 24, and Sandesh Bishwakarma, 8, also lost their lives from Bhirkharkha Tole.
Three more Newar Tole locals also lost their lives, identified as Sarkini Newar, 60; Dhanlal Newar, 65; and Hiramaya Shrestha, 42, respectively.
Twenty-two locals are still missing in the incident that occurred in the Bahrabise Municipality-7 region of Ghumthang on Saturday night, the district police chief said.
"We carried out rescue operations," said Adhikari, adding that the exact details of the damages caused by the landslides are not yet known. According to preliminary estimates, the massive landslide in Nagpuje, Bhirkharka and Newar Tole had washed away 11 homes.
The incident took place at approximately 2:30AM when a massive earth mound falling from the upper belt jolted three remote villages in the midnight in the midnight rainfall. Locals were in deep sleep at the incident.
A joint Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police team was mobilized to perform rescue operations.
