Kantipur Report
SUNSARI, Aug 20 - A high-level rescue team led by Prime Minister Puspa Kamal Dahal inspected the relief work and flood-hit areas in Sunsari district on Wednesday. The Prime Minister observed over the site from a Nepal Army chopper.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the high-level team and security personnel is underway at Eastern Region headquarters of Armed Police Force in Kakani. The team is also scheduled to meet the displaced people taking shelter at the government offices and in the schools today.

According to district health officer Taj Narayan Yadav, about 2,000 people residing in the government offices including children are suffering from pneumonia. The Saptakoshi River continued flooding while the damaged embankments have not been repaired due to incessant rainfall.

Some 5,000 residents of Bihar and Supoul of India have also been displaced due to the flood.  As many as 50,000 locals of various areas waterlogged following a breach in the western Kushaha embankment along the Saptakoshi River Monday afternoon were displaced while more than 0.1 million were affected.

The changed flow of river water, which entered settlements at Kushaha, Haripur, Sripur and Laukahi VDCs following the embankment breach, has also damaged a five-kilometer stretch of the East-West Highway and a bridge, thereby obstructing traffic.
Source: ekantipur.com 21st August 2008