Fire victims in pathetic condition, Nepal’s home minister visits (Update 7:30 AM)

Kathmandu, March 02: Fire that broke out in Goldhap camp on Saturday left more than 9,500 exiled Bhutanese in pathetic conditions. They passed whole night under open sky.

According to latest reports, more than 1,200 huts have been gutted by the fire. The fire victims have been relocated to a nearby field.

The fire was taken under control late evening with the help of fire engines, armed police force personnel of Nepal.

At least six people have been injured and are taken to Mechi Zonal Hospital for treatment.

Chief district officer of the Jhapa Shankar Koirala, district superintendent of police and other Nepalese officials had reached the incident site on Saturday evening for inspection of the stuation.

Saranarthi Sarokar, a radio program jointly run by Pathivara FM and Bhutan News Service, ran live reporting from the camp.

Nepal’s Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula, who was in Jhapa as part of his party’s election campaign, also inspected the incident site early Sunday. An emergency meeting of the natural disaster relief committee, chaired by home minister, has been called to discuss the possibility of extending support to the fire victims.

The local administration has already urged the local residents, business community and organizations to extend support to the victims.

However, no representatives from the refugee aiding agencies including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have reached the camp to inspect the site by the time this report was filed.

It is notable that the officials of the aiding agencies had reached very late during similar incidents in Beldangi I camp. Bhutan News Service