After Nepal flood, Nuwakot residents search for belongings beneath mud — Kathmandu Post
In Nepal, residents of the flood-affected districts of Nuwakot and Rasuwa have been clearing thick layers of mud from their homes and shops for more than a month after the disaster, searching for documents, photographs, family belongings and work tools. As the Kathmandu Post reports, the Bhotekoshi flood on August 26 caused the Trishuli River to overflow its banks, and little remained of the Dhunge Bazaar trading center afterward.
Naresh Dangol and his wife have been clearing their home every day for two weeks, where they operated a clothing and cosmetics shop. The water damaged the metal shutters, while the mud, according to the family, reached the third floor. The couple estimates losses from merchandise and years of investments at about 3 million Nepalese rupees. Dangol said he found a women's handbag in the mud, which he plans to wash and keep.
Rojita Pandey is searching for belongings in the destroyed family wholesale shop, Pandey Kirana Wholesale, whose history dates back to her husband's grandfather. Old dishes, copper containers and brass jugs associated with previous generations of owners remain beneath the mud. So far, she has managed to find gas cylinders, packets of biscuits and instant noodles, as well as several undamaged glasses.
Losses of family shops
Pandey estimates her family's losses at about 100 million Nepalese rupees, including warehouse goods, food supplies, gas cylinders and possibly 3 million rupees in cash. After the settlement was destroyed, her family is temporarily staying with relatives in Deurali, higher up the slope.
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Maya Gajurel, owner of a fruit and juice shop, said that in January she left her job, invested 1.5 million rupees of her own money in the new business and took out a loan of 2.3 million rupees. After the flood, she and her husband saw that almost nothing remained of the shop. Later, while cleaning up, she found a sealed case of bottled water.
Help during the cleanup
Construction contractor Shankar Singh Marsangi lost construction equipment, household belongings, 35 chickens and cash that he had withdrawn from a savings group. He estimated the property damage at about 1.5 million rupees, while noting that the 13 workers who were with him survived.
Twenty volunteers led by Kaman Ghale, founder of Heimat Public English School, joined the cleanup of the affected homes. For 17–18 days, the group has been helping residents of markets in Nuwakot free of charge: removing mud and finding documents, gas cylinders, copperware, gold and workshop equipment buried beneath it. The volunteers pay for tools, boots, gloves and food themselves and plan to continue working for at least another month.
