Just as Phuentsholing and other parts of the country, Gelephu witnessed incessant rainfall in the last few days, triggering flashflood by streams causing minor infrastructure damages. However, there were no reports of severe infrastructure damages in the dzongkhag like it was reported in the other southern belts.
The monsoon poured on the late night of July 11 in Gelephu, leading to significant rise in water levels of the Shetikhari stream.
This had led to the stream becoming as huge as a river causing erosion which damaged roads, especially culverts along the Gelephu-Trongsa highway.
The dzongkhag disaster management officer, Tandin Wangchuk said that in response to the emergency situation, Gelephu gewog and Sarpang Dzongkhag Administration has deployed excavators for dredging, bouldering and clearing the river as an urgent and temporary measure to mitigate the risks.
Parts of the international border wall collapsed and the culvert bridge connecting border ICP and quarantine center washed away under the Gelephu Thromde.
The drain near the new vegetable market which is on the pipeline was damaged minorly and the kitchen utensil of labour near vegetable market construction was also washed away.
Minor damage caused to the basement of the newly constructed flyover bridge at the teak plantation. The new cycling and footpath bridge was constructed for as a recreational path for the residents of the Gelephu.
Most of the road are damaged due to the flashflood according to the official from Gelephu Thromde.
The newly permanent motorable bridge constructed over Pansphalley River between Tareythang and Umling Gewogs was also washed away on July 12. The bridge connects the gewogs to Gelephu town.
Umling and Tareythang gewogs are also cut off. The Dzongkhag official said that the Department of Surface Transport will make the road once the weather improves and rainfall subsides.
Despite the transport cut off, Umling Gup Sangay Tenzin said that the gewog did not face any difficulties. The Gup said the public abided by the notification of the dzongkhag and that there has been no monsoon related disaster.
A causeway bridge constructed last year was also washed away.
The heavy rainfall also caused blockage between Trongsa-Gelephu Primary National Highway (PNH). The other road blocks were at Boxcut,15km from Gelephu and at Aieslip, 9.5 km from Gelephu.
The store room and office at stone crushing unit in Chaskhar have been washed away, and a tripper vehicle has been submerged in the river. The flood was caused by merging of Thewar River and the spillover water from the Mao River at Kalikhola.
A couple stranded near the Kalikhola River at Chaskhar, in Chhuzanggang Gewog, Sarpang on 12 July has been rescued on 13 July night.
Sarpang Dzongkhag Administration had issued public monsoon safety notification on 11 July.
Sangay Rabten from Thiumphu
