Trishuli, August 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The devastating flash floods that swept through parts of Nepal have left behind a trail of destruction, with homes, shops and businesses reduced to debris and residents struggling to come to terms with the scale of their losses.
Residents in the affected areas of Trishuli told IANS on Monday that they had received warnings about the approaching floods but never imagined that the water would rise to such dangerous levels.
One resident, who has lived in the area for 40 years, said government alerts and calls from friends had warned them about the approaching danger.
“We thought our house was far away from the river and that the water would not reach here. We never imagined that such a huge amount of water would come and wash away the entire market,” he said.
A grocery shop owner said he received a warning around 30 minutes before the floodwaters arrived but initially did not take it seriously. He estimated his losses at Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.5 crore, saying several godowns and his shop were destroyed.
Another resident, who ran a potato, onion and foodgrains business, said his family received the warning just minutes before the flood struck.
“We have lost everything. I could not even take out Rs 5. Clothes, jewellery, money, everything is gone,” he said, adding that 20 to 25 tonnes of goods stored at his shop were washed away.
Residents said warnings reached them between five and 30 minutes before the floodwaters surged through the area, leaving little time to evacuate belongings.
Pointing towards the remains of the old Dhunge Trishuli Market, another resident said the area had served as an important shopping centre for people from surrounding hill villages. A hydropower plant and several commercial establishments were also located nearby and were destroyed in the disaster.
Locals also recalled a dramatic rescue in which a person became stranded on the roof of a house as rapidly moving floodwaters surrounded the building. The trapped individual reportedly remained on the roof for an extended period before rescuers managed to reach him.
Rescue teams are now focusing on recovering belongings, clearing debris and assessing the damage.
Rescue team member Mabaraj Thapa said a 250-member team from Likhu Rural Municipality was working in the affected areas.
“So far, we have retrieved belongings from four houses, and the work is still ongoing. We will continue working here throughout the day today, and tomorrow we will head to Devighat to clear the area,” he said.
Thapa said the scale of the disaster was difficult to describe and that recovering and identifying bodies had also been extremely challenging.
“The bodies that were recovered were severely decomposed and disfigured, making identification extremely difficult. It was a tragic and unbelievable scene,” he said.
With large stretches of the market and residential areas destroyed, residents are now facing the daunting
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