KATHMANDU, July 10: With the monsoon fully active across the country, floods and landslides have caused damage to several highways, including those in Rasuwa District. In some areas, transportation has come to a complete halt. As of Wednesday evening, 11 highways had been affected by the disasters. Efforts are currently underway to clear the blocked routes and restore traffic flow.
The flood that hit Rasuwagadhi on Tuesday has washed away the Miteri Bridge, a crucial bridge connecting Nepal and China. The Galchhi–Rasuwagadhi highway has also suffered damage due to the disaster. In Nawalparasi, a section of the East-West Highway at Daunne Forest in Bardaghat Municipality-4 has caved in due to flooding from the Khursani Khola. Currently, only one-way traffic is operating in that area.
A landslide in Ribdikot, Palpa, on Wednesday morning damaged the Palpa–Gulmi road section. Similarly, the Gorusinghe–Sandhikharka road has also been blocked due to a landslide. Engineers from the Department of Roads say efforts are underway to clear the debris and reopen the affected routes.
As the water level in the Mahakali River has risen significantly, four-wheeled vehicles have been banned from crossing the Banbasa Bridge at Gaddachauki, which connects Bheemdatt Municipality in Kanchanpur to the India-Nepal border.
22 families at risk as floods wreak havoc in Baitadi
The Koshi Highway has also been obstructed due to flood damage. Since the Barun River swept away a culvert pipe in late May, the Khandbari–Thumsur section of the highway has remained out of operation. Engineers from the Department of Roads say that this section is unlikely to reopen throughout the monsoon season. Additionally, the government has imposed a nighttime driving ban on the Sindhuli–Khurkot–Kathmandu section of the BP Highway until August 3.
Rainfall has also caused damage to the Bheri Corridor, leading to its closure. The Jajarkot–Dolpa section of the corridor has been blocked due to the rising water level in the Rijigaar stream in Jajarkot. The section will reopen once the water level recedes. Meanwhile, vehicular movement has been restricted during nighttime hours on the Kanti Lokpath, which connects Lalitpur and Makawanpur, since July 3.
Due to ongoing construction work on the Pharping–Hatthigauda section of the Pharping–Kulekhani road, vehicle movement has been halted, and the public is requested to use alternative routes.
Landslides have also damaged the Mid-Hill Highway. The Mid-Hill Highway is blocked at Dakheri in Chhedagadh, Jajarkot, due to landslides.
Rescue operations continue in Rasuwa
Search and rescue operations are ongoing in flood-affected Rasuwa. The flood that struck Rasuwa Gadhi on Tuesday morning caused damage to life and property. On Wednesday, security agencies and relevant organizations continue to be deployed for the search and rescue of those trapped in the flood.
In the Lingling area, one security personnel of the Armed Police Force was injured during the rescue operation and was evacuated to Kathmandu by the Nepal Army. A team from the Sher Battalion from Nuwakot is conducting searches for missing persons in the Trishuli River area and repairing roads damaged by river erosion.
Rs 200,000 compensation for families of the deceased
The government has decided to provide compensation to the families of those who died in the Rasuwa Gadhi flood. According to Dinesh Bhatt, Executive Chief of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, each family of the deceased will receive Rs 200,000 in cash. Bhatt stated that this decision was made at the National Council meeting of the Authority held on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
Nineteen people remain missing in the flood that occurred at Bhotekoshi on the Nepal-China border, while the bodies of nine have been recovered.
