Nuwakot: Dogs and cats in Wards No. 4, 7 and 9 of Nuwakot, areas affected by the Bhote Koshi flood on Bhadra 10, have been vaccinated against rabies.
Himalayan Animal Rescue Team (HART) Pokhara traveled from Pokhara to the flood-affected areas to provide treatment to sick livestock and vaccinate dogs and cats against rabies. The group also reached areas including Dhunge Bazaar, Tupche and Chapko Phedi of Bidur Municipality, where it provided necessary medicines to sick cows and buffaloes, said Himalayan Animal Rescue Team chairman Divya Kumar Baral.
Animal carcasses washed down by the flood and left along the riverbanks are being eaten by dogs and jackals, increasing the risk of disease transmission. Baral said rabies can spread when dogs and jackals consume infected carcasses. He warned that if rabies spreads among dogs, it can eventually be transmitted to humans.
He added that carcasses can also contribute to the spread of other diseases, including cholera and diarrheal illnesses. Proper disposal and management of animal carcasses is therefore essential to prevent the spread of disease in flood-affected communities, Baral said.
Before reaching Nuwakot, the team had traveled through Dhading and reached Galchhi and Betravati, where it rescued and treated livestock, said team member Suresh Dhakal.
The exact number of domestic animals and wildlife affected by the flood remains unknown, and no detailed assessment has yet been carried out. Dhakal said the group went to the flood-affected areas to provide treatment and food to animals that cannot express their suffering themselves.
The team also said it sprayed medicines on animal carcasses scattered along the banks of the Trishuli River near settlements in the affected areas.
The Bhote Koshi flood caused extensive damage to settlements along the Trishuli River in Nuwakot. The flood, described as a “Himalayan tsunami,” swept away many riverside homes, leaving little or no trace of them. People and their dreams were swept away along with the flood.
Many families lost their livestock and other property. Numerous people died in the disaster, while those who survived have been left struggling to rebuild their lives. Local residents, employees working at hydropower plants and tourists visiting Nepal from different countries were among those killed by the flood. Search operations for people still missing are continuing.
Fear remains strong among residents of Wards No. 7 and 9 in the flood-affected areas of Nuwakot. People who witnessed the force of the flood continue to be traumatized by what they saw that day.
Local parents say some children still wake up screaming after seeing images of the disaster in their dreams.
The flood has affected not only human lives but also the lives of domestic animals. Animal carcasses can still be seen along the riverbanks. Local resident Rupak Nepal said a foul smell continues to spread in settlements because the carcasses brought downstream by the flood have not been properly managed.
