Relentless rain triggers floods, landslides across Nepal

Relentless rainfall across Nepal since Thursday has triggered floods and landslides, swept away houses and disrupted road traffic in several parts of the country.

In Rupandehi, floodwaters from the Tinau river swept away six houses along the riverbank in Butwal on Saturday night as the river rose above its danger level.

Around 200 houses along the riverbank in Butwal are at risk. Security personnel evacuated about 1,000 people overnight after the Tinau and nearby streams swelled amid continued rain, said Nishant Srivastava of the Area Police Office in Butwal.

Authorities initially moved around 500 residents from Majhuwa, a high-risk area in Butwal Metropolitan City-13, to the Durga Temple holding centre. They were later transferred to safer locations, including Nabin Audyogik, Rita Kadar Secondary School, Ujir Singh Secondary School and Kanti Secondary School in Devinagar, Butwal-11.

The Tinau crossed its danger mark at around 8pm on Saturday, prompting security personnel to begin rescue and evacuation operations in vulnerable areas.

The Rupandehi district administration has urged people living near rivers and streams to remain alert and move to safer areas if water levels rise further.

In Chitwan, the Narayani river and the Riu stream crossed their danger levels early Sunday as rain continued.

At the Devghat gauge station, the Narayani reached 9.23 metres at around 5:15am, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. The warning level there is 7.3 metres and the danger level 9 metres.

The Riu, which flows along the boundary of Madi and Chitwan National Park, reached 3.92 metres. Its warning level is 3.4 metres and its danger level 3.8 metres.

The Riu flows through southern Chitwan before joining the Rapti river near Meghauli and eventually draining into the Narayani.

Heavy rain has also triggered landslides and mudslides at several points in Chitwan, disrupting road traffic.

At Dharapani in Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality-4, part of the road subsided further and a mud-laden landslide blocked traffic in both directions, said Dilli Narayan Pandey, superintendent of police at the Highway Security and Traffic Management Office in Bharatpur-Ramnagar.

A landslide at Simaldhara in the same municipality has also blocked the road in both directions.

At Simaltaal in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-29, along the Narayanghat-Muglin road, a mudslide has reduced traffic to one lane, although small vehicles can still pass. A fallen tree has blocked one lane at Aaptari in Bharatpur-1, while mud has caused another one-way obstruction at Namsi Khola in Ichchhakamana-6.

Pandey said traffic between Narayanghat and Pokhara could resume in about two hours if no further problems occur and crews can clear the landslides continuously.

Flood and landslide risks also remain high in Karnali, where river levels have continued to rise.

The Thuli Bheri river in Dolpa had reached 3.46 metres, just below its 3.56-metre warning level and 3.76-metre danger level, with the water level still rising.

In Humla, the Karnali river at Sarkegad stood at 2.74 metres, below its 4-metre warning level, but was rising. The river level at Biunhidhanda was 2

On Saturday, flooding from theNarayani and Saptakoshi rivers inundated 389 houses in Nawalparasi West andSaptari districts, forcing hundreds of families to move to safer locations.

In Nawalparasi’s Susta RuralMunicipality, 172 families were relocated on Friday and Saturday after theNarayani river entered settlements, security officials said. In Saptari, 200families from Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality and 17 families from TilathiKoiladi Rural Municipality have been moved to safety.

In Susta ward 5, as many as 271houses and animal sheds have been inundated, with water reaching up to threefeet inside some homes, according to local residents. The Armed Police Force’sborder security barracks in the settlement were also inundated on Saturday evening,forcing personnel stationed there to look for safer ground.

Susta is home to around 310families. The settlement is bordered by Narayani to the north and west, andIndia to the south, leaving residents unable to leave the area without crossingthe river. Floodwater has also submerged the unpaved road leading to thesuspension bridge. “The only way to reach the suspension bridge now is byboat,” said local resident Rabindra Jaiswal.

In Saptari, flooding from theSaptakoshi has inundated 217 homes—17 in ward 4 and 5 of Tilathi Koiladi and200 in Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality.

Floodwater entered homes suddenly,damaging stored food, local residents said. Senior citizens and children havebeen moved to the western embankment of the Koshi. The Armed Police Force’sborder outpost at Bodebarsain was also inundated.

In Hanumannagar Kankalini-12, 80houses have been flooded, while 60 families in wards 5 and 7 and 60 houses inGobargadha in ward 13 have also been affected, according to Saptari policechief Rupak Khadka. Displaced families have been sheltered under tarpaulins onthe western Koshi embankment, with the municipality providing food.