Continuous Rainfall Causes Road Blockades and Flood Risks in Nepal

Kathmandu. Continuous rainfall has been occurring in various districts since the evening of July 19. Due to the risk of floods and landslides caused by the rain, local administrations in risky areas have adopted precautions.

Roads in eight places have been completely obstructed due to the rain. The Mechi Highway in Ilam Municipality-9 Rajduwali, Ilam, has been completely obstructed, informed Koshi Province DIG Binod Ghimire. The water level in Koshi has risen to 187,000 cusecs. DIG Ghimire stated that 25 gates of Koshi have been opened.

The Saljhandi Dhorpan road in Arghakhanchi is completely obstructed. According to the Police Headquarters, the Arniko Highway is obstructed in two places in Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality, Sindhupalchok. The road has been obstructed due to stones and mud falling from above in Jirokilo and Eku landslides.

The road in the Baglung section of the Kaligandaki Corridor in Jaimini Municipality-8, Baglung, has been completely obstructed due to a landslide. The Kanti Lokpath road in Pangdur, Bagmati Rural Municipality-3, Lalitpur, has been obstructed by a landslide. The Trishuli-Mailung-Syabrubesi road section has been obstructed by mud and soil in Uttargaya Rural Municipality-2, Rasuwa. A landslide has occurred in Harning, Madi Rural Municipality-6, on the Ghorahi-based route in Rolpa. The Pokhara-Belapur internal road in Navadurga Rural Municipality-1, Dadeldhura, at Korakatte has been obstructed.

The administration has banned driving in risky areas in 21 districts. Driving at night has been prohibited on the Khurkot-Nepal Thok-Katunje section of the BP Highway, which falls in Kavrepalanchok and Sindhuli, stated Police Spokesperson (DIG) Abinarayan Kafle to Ratopati. Movement in that section was restricted from 6 PM to 4 AM since June 27. Movement on the Kanti Lokpath, bordering Makwanpur district, has been closed from 5 PM to 5 AM.

Nighttime movement has been closed on all roads in Ilam, Tehrathum, Sankhuwasabha, Bhojpur, Dhankuta, Panchthar, and Khotang of Koshi Province. Vehicle operation has been stopped on the Siddhi Charan Highway and roads leading to Okhaldhunga in Solukhumbu.

Nighttime movement has been closed in Kavre, Nuwakot, Dhading, Sindhupalchok, Makwanpur, Chitwan, and Sindhuli of Bagmati Province. In Kavre, movement is operational on roads other than the BP Highway. On the Narayangadh-Mugling-Kathmandu road, movement is being resumed by the local administration based on weather conditions.

Long-distance buses and other vehicles departing from Kaski, Gorkha, Syangja, Lamjung, Baglung, and Myagdi in Gandaki Province have been completely stopped from operation.