Kathmandu, Aug. 2 -- On the night of July 9, when the phone rang at around 2:30am at Myagdi District Police Office, Inspector Dhruba Sharma knew that it was a call for rescue. It had been raining for the past few days. Someone from the other side said landslides had buried around four houses in Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality Ward 7, said Sharma.

"As soon as we received the information, we set off to the site," said Sharma. "But it took us 24 hours to reach there."

The roads were blocked by landslide debris and the police team lacked equipment to clear them.

"All we were carrying were basic tools like ropes, spades, hoes and sickle," Sharma told the Post. "And only an excavator could clear the roads. At times, we can do nothing even afte...