The Mid-hill Highway has been blocked by landslides triggered by incessant rainfall.
Flooding in the Sani Bheri River has swept away a suspension bridge. Floodwater has also entered a school, causing damage, while a concrete house has also been washed away.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Khumananda Pandey, chief of District Police Office, Rukum East, continuous heavy rainfall caused a landslide in Bhume Rural Municipality-1, while flooding in the Badigad Khola in the same ward eroded and damaged the road. Police have held discussions with the Mid-hill Highway Project about clearing the obstruction.
Once a JCB excavator arrives from the Mid-Hill Highway Project, work will begin to remove the landslide debris and repair the damaged road.
DSP Pandey said that repairing the road is expected to take most of Monday, and that the highway may only reopen toward the evening.
However, even after the obstruction in Rukum East is cleared, vehicles are unlikely to be able to operate immediately along the Mid-hill Highway, as landslides have also occurred in Baglung and other districts following the continuous rainfall, DSP Pandey said.
The flooding of the Sani Bheri River at Dhaunne in Sisne Rural Municipality-5, caused by continuous rainfall over the past few days, has washed away one side of a suspension bridge connecting Panga Pokhara in Nathigad, Ward No. 7. The loss of the bridge has made travel difficult for local residents.
A crusher plant in Ward No. 5 is also at risk because of the flooding. Police said that nearby settlements are also vulnerable.
Flooding in the Uttarganga River has entered Shree Uttarganga Basic School in Upper Serabaluwa, Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality-11, following the continuous rainfall.
The floodwater damaged and collapsed 55 meters of the school’s perimeter wall.
Strong winds accompanying the rainfall also blew away 20 sheets of corrugated roofing from the buildings housing Grades 3 and 5. Water entering the school also damaged various materials inside the office.
According to the school administration, six computers, three chargers, three laptops, three additional chargers, two megaphones, 15 whiteboards, five solar-panel batteries, 290 library books, and 100 registers were damaged.
In another incident, flooding in the Tatopani Khola at Dimmurgaira in Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality-6 swept away the one-story, four-room concrete house belonging to 45-year-old Balman Roka, along with 35 chickens and two goats.
