Two villagers of Ghorthali VDC in Sindhupalchowk became the latest victims of electrocution caused by a damaged power transformer. The dead have been identified as Sun Bahadur Tamang, 16, and Narayan Khatri, 49. [break]
As high-voltage power unleashed by the damaged transformer ran through electric wires in four different wards of Ghorthali, 10 villagers including four children sustained injuries. Those who were injured have been admitted to Sadabahar Community Hospital in Khadichaur for treatment.
The injured villagers are Santosh BK, 9, Chhetra Bahadur Khatri, 52, Dhan Maya Khatri, 45, Sanu Khatri, 25, Padam Tamang, 32, Aang Kaji Tamang, 12, Bikram BK, 9, Bir Bahadur Tamang, 20, Santa Bahadur Tamang, 16, and Prem Dorje, 20. They are out of danger, according to the hospital.
Earlier, two of Mahankal VDC and one of Sipapokhare VDC in Sindhupalchowk were electrocuted.
Power system was disturbed in Ghorthali for the past 12 days. According to DSP Sthaneshwar Regmi, who reached the village shortly after the incident, high-voltage power was transmitted within hours of technicians deployed by Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) restarted the system.
According to Gopal Chandra Khatiwada, Sunkoshi branch chief of NEA, a transformer in Ghorthali has frequently been unleashing high-voltage power after it was hit by a lightning some time ago.
"Our technical team has confirmed this," Khatiwada said. "A lightning arrester in the transformer was damaged due to thunderstorm and it fell on the wire supplying power to the houses."
According to him, villagers use wires with thick insulators without keeping MCB [miniature circuit breaker], which may result in transmission of high voltage during thunderstorms and mismatch of power lines.
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