The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The recent disaster caused by monsoon rains has damaged crops and plantations in several dzongkhags. Landslides and continuous rainfall has also damaged 50 meters of irrigation HDP pipe line in Rewakha, Dorithasa Chiwog in Haa. About 300 meters of irrigation channel has also been damaged at various locations in Dorithasa and Ribji villages, and about 45 decimals of cardamom field belonging to three households were damaged in Dorithasa under Gakiling Gewog.
About 23 meters of farm road has also been washed away or damaged entirely resulting in roadblock in Nobgang in Samar Gewog. About 1.2 kilometers of newly constructed farm road has been completely damaged in Shari, Samar Gewog. The retaining wall of Gechukha farm road has collapsed about 20 meters in Bji Gewog due to heavy rainfall in Haa.
In Gasa, the water source and irrigation channel connecting Barsha and Panikhong villages under Khamoed Gewog was washed away due to landslides. The dzongkhag has sent the gewog engineers for damage assessment.
The water source in Depsi Phakha, Thimphu was also disconnected from water supply due to damaged pipeline by the falling boulders since July 20.
Several reports from Samtse were made where 120 acres of paddy field land of 18 households and 15 decimals of dry land have been damaged in Doophugchen Gewog. Further, the rural water supply and sanitation at Rhotangchen was damaged. Several roadblocks have been reported at Dorokha-Samtse, Samtse-Phuentsholing highway, and farm roads have been blocked in a number of gewogs. However, several possible measures were taken to divert the flood.
4.3 acres of crops was damaged which includes cardamom, maize and paddy in Darla Gewog, 2.6 acres of crops of cardamom and paddy in Bongo Gewog, 1.1 acres of crops including vegetable and crops in Bjachho Gewog were damaged due to landslide in Chhukha.
Taksha Silli and Gebaykha farm roads that benefit 62 households and 18 household respectively in Dagagewog under Wangdiphodrang were damaged at several points. The Department of Disaster Management (DDMO) informed the Gewog Administration to put an official request to dzongkhag for assessment and estimation. Similarly, several other gewogs in Wangdiphodrang were also damaged.
Due to unending heavy downpour in Mongar, the farm road which benefits 2 gewogs under Weringla Dungkhag was totally blocked at several points.
In Trashigang, the farm roads from Thrimshing to Thongkhar,Thrimshing to Tshangpo, Phegpari to Bongzor were damaged by floods Thrimshing Gewog. Four other farm roads were damaged in Kangpar Gewog.
Four farm roads have been damaged due to landslide in Dekiling Gewog, Sarpang. In total 31.76 acres of wetland was damaged by Taklaichhu in Umling Gewog in Sarpang. An approximate assessment of affected lands area was carried out as most of the lands are under water. It is said that the re-assessment will be done once the river water is diverted and the situation is restored back to normal.
Immediate action will be carried out in those affected area so as to divert the river out of the wetland and to its usual river course, and restore the lower irrigation channel. Dagana has also reported that total of 12 farm roads have been damaged due to landslides.
However, the Agriculture Minister said that paddy fields being flooded do not pose much worries as it is the right season for the paddy to be submerged in high amount of water.
He also said that a total 67 Food Corporation of Bhutan (FCB) stores in a country have sufficient ration for three months, and there are plans to expand the number of stores in the gewogs.
Ministry of Agriculture is still finding out the extent of damage caused to crops and vegetables. “Since the difficulties are still prevailing in reaching the all the affected areas to examine the damage, the total amount of damages caused are yet to be compiled,” said a ministry official.
