APF puts temporary monsoon response base on 24-hrs standby in Banke

By Siraj Khan, Nepalgunj, July 24: With water levels in the Rapti River rising following several days of rainfall, the Banke District Disaster Management Committee has placed trained security personnel on high alert to respond to potential flooding and inundation.

The committee said the Armed Police Force (APF) has identified flood-prone areas across the district and has kept its Temporary Monsoon Response Security Base, established at Kunda in Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality-6, on 24-hour standby.

Chief District Officer Dil Kumar Tamang, who also chairs the District Disaster Management Committee, said the temporary APF base had been set up to ensure an immediate response to floods, inundation and other disaster-related emergencies.

He said trained personnel deployed at the base under the command of APF Assistant Sub-Inspector Chitra Bahadur Pun had been instructed to remain on round-the-clock standby with all necessary rescue equipment. 

According to APF Deputy Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohan Bista, Information Officer at the APF No. 30 Bageshwari Headquarters in Banke, the response base has been equipped with rescue vehicles and essential emergency equipment to enable rapid deployment whenever required.

He said the facility had been brought into operation to ensure swift action during monsoon-related floods and disasters, and to provide immediate rescue and relief assistance to affected local communities.

Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality Chairperson Tapta Paudel said residents of the municipality were among the worst affected each year by flooding, inundation and riverbank erosion caused by the Rapti River. He expressed confidence that the temporary response base would significantly strengthen rescue efforts and help protect local people.

Paudel added that ward offices and elected representatives had also been instructed to complete all necessary preparedness measures and remain on standby to facilitate the evacuation of residents to safer locations in the event of flooding.