A woman has gone missing after being swept away by an irrigation canal in Panauti of Kavre.
According to Superintendent of Police Komal Shah at the District Police Office, Kavre, a woman was swept away by a canal in Subba Gaun, Panauti Municipality-5, at around 4:30 PM on Monday.
SP Shah said that the missing woman is 28-year-old Renuka Giri, a resident of the same area.
Panauti and Banepa area witnessed heavy rainfall on Monday afternoon.
SP Shah reported that the woman went missing while attempting to cross the canal during the rainfall.
Police and Armed Police Force personnel are searching for her.
Panauti Municipality Mayor Ram Sharan Bhandari said that the Roshi River flooded again following Monday’s rainfall.
The flood washed away temporary water supply pipes installed after last October’s flood and damaged two bridges being constructed with the provincial government’s budget.
“One bridge under construction in Ward No. 9 and another on the border of Wards 10 and 11 have been damaged. One of the bridges was undergoing slab casting today after formwork,” he said.
He added that three kilometers of a temporary road built after last October’s flood were also washed away.
Mayor Bhandari said that Monday’s flood particularly affected Wards 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 the most.
“We had never known such a flood in Baisakh (April-May). This devastating flood, occurring before the monsoon, has once again ravaged Panauti. It has caused significant damage to the potato crops ready for harvest, and we are in great distress,” he said.
Last October’s flood claimed 22 lives in Panauti Municipality alone, and reconstruction had only just begun.
According to the mayor, the federal government had recently allocated a budget for the Roshi riverbank embankment, with a tender of Rs 16.2 million just called.
He added that the washing away of temporary water supply pipes, installed with assistance from various donor agencies, has pushed the Panauti area toward a bigger crisis.
