After rainstorm wreaked havoc, Mundgod crawls back to life

Monday, 23 April 2007, 10:33 a.m.

Dharamshala: Life at the Mungod Tibetan settlement has slowly crawled back to normalcy since a fortnight ago a gusty, torrential rain left a trail of rampage–starting with a total blackout for 48 hrs.

Located some 32 miles south of Hubli, the settlement is one of the largest, with 11 villages housing a total population of 13,400.

“Rainstorm are normal at the onset of monsoon, but the one that swept the settlement on 14 April was mighty strong,” the settlement officer, Dhondup Dorje, told TibetNet this morning.

It ripped off the roofing over one settler’s dwelling and several cowsheds; the bolt of lightening smashed the Tibetan Medical clinic at camp no. 6.

Mobility within the settlement was hampered for several days as the fallen trees and branches blocked the roads at several points.

Banana orchards of 5 families, of about 3-5 acres, were left in tatters. As a token of solidarity, the settlement office has offered an ex-gratia of Rs. 3,000/- to each family.

Besides, according to some Tibetan newspapers, the spacious cafe at camp no. 3 has also been razed to the ground.

However, as of now, normalcy has been restored, the settlement officer told TibetNet.