Headlines
Amid misery, quake's gift: Gushing water channels
Kathmandu, May 1
Amid the widespread death and
destruction that the devastating April 25 earthquake has spelt in
Nepal, it has also given the nation a welcome gift: Several underground
water channels have suddenly opened up and water has started gushing out
from them, media reported on Friday.
Underground water channels
in Mahadevsthan village and stone spouts in Matatirtha village have
started to function after many years, the Himalayan Times reported.
According
to sources, water is gushing out from these channels and villagers now
have more than enough water for drinking, cleaning, bathing and
cooking.
Most of the villagers said the earthquake opened up the
underground water and channels that had been blocked due to
newly-constructed houses were once again getting abundant supply of
water.
Similarly, a water source in Sundhara near Mahadevsthan has also started flowing.
"These
traditional channels had run dry three to four years ago. I still
remember the source at Sundhara supplying water three years back, but it
suddenly ran dry. Sources of water had decreased in this locality and
surrounding areas," a local from Mahadevsthan said.
Villagers do not use any filter to purify the water fetched from these natural sources.
People living in tents pitched in open spaces to survive the aftershocks of the quake consider the water flow as a blessing.
Rabina
Mishra, 26, a local of Mahadevsthan, said: "We don't have to depend on
water tankers of the government for drinking water at this hour of
crisis."
"The water channels that had not been operating for long
time have suddenly started gushing fresh and pure water near our
tents," Mishra added, happy at the development.