Heavy rain disrupts travel, raises flood and landslide risks across Nepal

Kathmandu / Sept. 25: Heavy rain has disrupted transport and raised the risk of floods and landslides across several parts of Nepal, prompting authorities to restrict night-time travel, move vulnerable families to safety and halt trekking in high-altitude areas.

In Taplejung, the Mechi Highway has reopened after a landslide blocked the road in the Khoksekhol area of Pathibhara Yangwarak Rural Municipality. The road was cleared and traffic resumed on Friday evening, according to Nabin Upreti, a supervisor at the Road Division Office.

However, the District Administration Office has barred vehicles from operating on the highway at night during the period of forecast heavy rainfall. Assistant Chief District Officer Yadav Bhattarai said the restriction was imposed as a precaution.

In Gulmi, 109.6 millimetres of rain was recorded at Bharshe and 109.2 mm at Ridi over the past 24 hours, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.

Rain has blocked a road at Patikhola in Kaligandaki Rural Municipality, the Gulmi District Police Office said. The water level in the Badigad river, which flows into the district from Baglung, has also risen by around two metres.

After the weather department forecast heavy rainfall and the possibility of floods and landslides, local governments in Gulmi have closed schools since Wednesday. The district administration has also restricted night-time travel, except for essential services, to minimise the risk from rain-induced disasters.

At the Koshi Barrage, 31 gates had been opened by Friday afternoon as the water level in the Saptakoshi river continued to rise following persistent rain since Wednesday night.

At 10am on Friday, the flow at the barrage was 198,220 cusecs per second, with 25 gates open. The flow rose to 229,960 cusecs by 1pm, prompting officials to open 30 gates. By 2pm, the flow had reached 240,555 cusecs and the 31st gate was opened, according to Chandrabahadur Khadka, information officer at the district police office.

When the flow at the barrage exceeds 150,000 cusecs, a red warning light is switched on to alert the public. Authorities have urged residents living around the Saptakoshi to remain alert and avoid risky areas. The barrage has 52 main gates and four canal gates, 56 in total.

In Panauti, Kavrepalanchok, two mud-and-brick houses collapsed in Banjaragaun of Panauti Municipality-8 following continuous rain.

Snowfall has affected life in the northern part of Gorkha, with Samdo in Chumnubri Rural Municipality-1 receiving its first snowfall of the year. RSS
Assistant Sub-Inspector Sitaram Khatiwada, in-charge of the Panauti police post, informed that the houses collapsed because they were built of bricks and mud. A tiled two-storey house belonging to Deuti Timalsina was also damaged. Another house belonging to Kumar Sharma Banjara, also in Banjaragaun, was damaged, burying food grains, clothes, utensils and other belongings under the collapsed section. Police retrieved some of the buried items and moved them to a safe place.

In Kanchanpur, 14 families at flood-prone Paterakhalla in Dodhara Chandani Municipality-3 have been moved to safety.

Local representatives and security personnel helped relocate the families, along with food, clothes and other essentials, to Jamuna Basic School nearby. Ward chairman Harisingh Dhanadi said the relocation was carried out because of the risk posed by heavy rainfall.

Night-time traffic has also been suspended on the Sandhikharka-Gorusinge road in Arghakhanchi, which has been repeatedly disrupted by landslides.

The District Administration Office has asked all vehicles except those serving essential and disaster-related purposes to stay off the road from 6pm Friday until 6am Saturday.

Several sections between Narpani, Ghumti and Phudwang have been obstructed by landslides and mud flowing down from above the road. Security personnel, local residents and elected representatives have been clearing the debris whenever the road is blocked, but authorities imposed the night restriction because of the continuing risk.

In Sankhuwasabha, water has started overflowing from the diversion tunnel of the under-construction 900MW Arun-3 hydropower project at Faksinda in Makalu Rural Municipality-5.

The overflowing water has also crossed a temporary dam, increasing risks to structures at and around the project site. Local authorities have increased vigilance as continued rain could further raise water levels in nearby rivers and streams.

Snowfall has affected life in the northern part of Gorkha, with Samdo in Chumnubri Rural Municipality-1 receiving its first snowfall of the year.

The snowfall continued for a short period in the morning before stopping, according to the Samdo Border Outpost of the Armed Police Force. Police Inspector Dinesh Khadka said temperatures had fallen following the snowfall and daily life had been affected.

Above the Manaslu Base Camp in Chumnubri-1, snowfall has continued for around two weeks. It had already affected Manaslu expeditions, while movement by trekkers along the Manaslu trail has also been restricted following heavy rain since Thursday.

The Ramechhap District Administration Office has urged residents to exercise heightened caution as continuous rain has increased the risk of floods, landslides and road blockages.

The administration has asked residents to avoid unnecessary travel from 5:30pm Friday until 5am Saturday.

In the high-altitude areas of Jajarkot, snowfall accompanied by continuous rain has affected daily life. Snow has begun falling in higher areas including Chakhure Patan and Kushe Patan in Barekot, increasing the cold.

Horses, mules, sheep and goats taken to the highlands for grazing have begun to be brought down to lower elevations for safety. The colder and wetter conditions have also made daily life more difficult for residents.

People living in temporary shelters since the 2022 earthquake have faced additional difficulties as rain has entered shelters, making them damp and colder. Families are particularly concerned about protecting children, elderly people and those who are ill from the cold.

In Manang, snowfall and rain have continued in the upper reaches of the district since Friday morning. The District Administration Office has advised against trekking in high-altitude areas for three days from Friday because of the weather.

Pyaralal Khadkathoki, a resident of Ngisyang Rural Municipality-5, said snow had been falling almost continuously since Friday morning.

According to Dhak Bahadur Bhujel, chief of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project’s area conservation office in Manang, rain and snow began falling in the upper areas at around 7am. Snow has accumulated on hills, although there has not been significant accumulation in settlements or on roads.

In Nawalparasi East, the water level in the Narayani river has continued to rise after more than 24 hours of rain.

The water level at the Devghat measurement station had crossed 5.19 metres by Friday afternoon. The warning level at the station is above seven metres.

The level has been rising since 9pm Thursday. At the Gandak Barrage on the Indian border in eastern Nawalparasi, the flow had reached 94,000 cusecs by 12:45pm Friday.

The district administration has urged residents in flood-prone areas to remain alert and keep themselves informed of developments. District police chief Yubaraj Khadka said security personnel had been deployed at various locations after assessing the risks along the riverbanks.

Police said light rain had continued in eastern Nawalparasi since Thursday evening, while heavy rain was reported around Triveni.