Kathmandu – Residents in some of the Nepali villages said their villages were infested with a worm that was destroying, eating crops and making people ill.
Temba Sherpa, a 45-year-old resident of Tashinam village in northern Dolakha district, said strange red and greenish worms have eaten up all the maize and potato leaves.
“The insects eat quickly, so we are losing our few remaining crops,” Sherpa said.
He said the village’s only health centre was destroyed in the earthquake, and villagers were unsure which medicines could be used to treat bites caused by the ravenous worms.
Mingmachokki Sherpa, a social worker from the village, who was bitten by the worm, said the insects had eaten up everything.
It’s like there isn’t a single leaf remaining here.
“The insects also bite, as they can easily get under the tarpaulins, the bites cause itchiness, and almost everyone from the village has sores from them now,’’ she said.
Sherpa said villagers don’t know how it could be treated, but they managed to dig up some medicines from the debris of the health post.
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
She said there was urgent need for anti-allergy medicines.
Sherpa said Tashinam village includes 220 households comprising around 1,200 people, and most of the people there have developed allergies that they suspect are caused by the insects.
She said unfortunately the village remained cut off from other villages due to a landslide, and helicopter was the only way to reach it.
“Many of us are sick; we are all waiting for some help.
“We are running out of food, medicine and patience,’’ she said.
Meanwhile, Prem Lal-Lamichhane, the Chief District officer of Dolakha, said a team of technical experts was due to arrive from Kathmandu to look into problems allegedly caused by the insects. (dpa/NAN)