Gasa flash flood sweeps 5mn in damages

 Damages caused by the 20 June flood in Gasa accounts for over 5mn in damages to infrastructures, irrigation channels, houses and government buildings.

The Department of Disaster Management (DDM) has prepared its initial report of the consolidated accounts for damages caused to the

The detailed field assessment report was presented by the Dzongkhag to the DDM on 31 July.

As per the dzongkhag’s report about 16.97 acres of land, of which 11.87 acres of 48 households’ wet land was damaged. While 6.67 acres fall under minor damages, 5.2 acres have been severely damaged. The remainder of 5.1 acres dry land suffered minor damages.

Approximately 11.71 acres of paddy fields are damaged and 1.18 acres of potatoes and some fruit trees such as Pear, Peach, Apple and Walnut which belonged to some 44 households were ravaged by the flood. As per the Actual Technical Estimates, it will cost almost Nu 0.3mn to reinstate these devastations.

A 30 irrigation channels schemes measuring 2548 meters which would cost more than 3.5mn was also damaged. And a farm road of 4.98 km between Barsha and Jabesa, about 0.5km suffered major damages.

With that 8 schemes of water supply measuring total length of 5050 meters suffered a damaged which would cost more than 1.5mn.

Two mule tracks between Jabesa to Chorten Goenpa and Gathana to Damji measuring 1250 meters were also damaged. The cost estimate is Nu 35,562.

A two storied house in Gathana suffered minor cracks and a calf was buried and two sheds were damaged.

Two bailey bridges Gathana I and Gathana II were damaged. The Department of Roads (DoR) field division in Lobeysa has started restoration works on Gathana Bailey Bridge II.

Damages were observed on roads with massive blocks, caused by boulders, uprooted trees and other debris which made it impossible for vehicles to travel as well as people.

Bridges were also washed away by the flood; in addition to that crops, irrigation channels, Rural Water Supply Scheme (RWSS), mule tracks, cow sheds, houses, electric poles on the ground but no casualties and so on were reportedly damaged then.

Meanwhile the Dzongkhag report will undergo further verification under DDM and later it will be submitted to the government.