Flood Damages Upper Modi 'A' Hydropower Project in Kaski

Pokhara. Flood in Kimrung Khola in Annapurna Rural Municipality-11, Kaski, has damaged the under-construction Upper Modi 'A' Hydropower Project at the same location.

Floodwaters with mud had entered various physical structures and equipment at the project site on Sunday. The flood damaged structures including the concrete production center (batching plant) and the aggregate processing center (crusher plant), informed project technician Kumar Madhu Belbase.

"The road connecting the project site has also been broken in places, and construction materials like drums and pipes have been washed away by the flood," he said, "We are collecting detailed information about the damage to the project." Project technician Belbase stated that it has become difficult to travel to the project site due to damage to the access road.

Ghandruk Police Post Police Assistant Havildar Sagar Chaudhary said that floodwaters had also entered the tunnels and temporary shelters constructed at the project site. He provided information that the initial estimated damage is more than one crore rupees.

The 42 MW capacity hydropower project had its contract signed and construction started two years ago. The project is being constructed at a cost of Rs 10.57 billion through a subsidiary company of Nepal Electricity Authority. The flood in Kimrung Khola had also washed away a suspension bridge. The floodwaters, which flowed from Kimrung Khola into Modi Khola, had damaged a house and a restaurant at Syaulee Bazaar, on the border of Annapurna Rural Municipality-8 and 10, and the road connecting to Ghandruk.