Two villages in Taplejung district have remained in darkness since last Friday after the seven micro hydro power stations were swept away by rain-triggered floods and landslides.

Residents of Maiwakhola Rural Municipality and Yamphudin village have been compelled to live in darkness after the disasters destroyed the infrastructures of the micro hydro power stations.

A total of five hydro power stations at ward no 3 and 4 in Maiwakhola Rural Municipality were swept away by the floods and landslides, said chairperson of Maiwakhola Rural Municipality, Bijay Prakash Banem.

The power generation capacity of these micro hydro power stations ranged from 19 kilowatt to 64 kilowatt. Maangmaya 1 and Maangmaya 2, Thadekhola, Lodamba and Yamphewa micro hydro power stations were completely damaged, shared chairperson Banem.

Similarly, power stations generating electricity from the Tumya Khola (River) and Kabeli Khola (River) in Sirijunga Rural Municipality in the district were also swept by the disaster affecting 170 households in the village, shared Krishna Gurung, ward no 8 chairperson of Sirijunga Rural Municipality.

Communication services in the disaster-hit areas have been adversely affected due to the prolonged absence of electricity, said ward chairperson Gurung.