Nepal’s Flood Nightmare Returns Just a Month Later: Fresh Rains Trigger Floods, Landslides
Six homes along the riverside in Butwal were washed away by floodwaters from the Tinau River on Saturday.
By Sakshi
New Delhi, September 27: Just as Nepal began recovering from the August devastation that killed about 1,453 people, unrelenting rains since Thursday have triggered fresh floods and landslides, sweeping away homes and disrupting road traffic.
Six homes along the riverside in Butwal were washed away by floodwaters from the Tinau
River on Saturday night after the river rose above its danger level in Rupandehi district, part of Lumbini province, the Kathmandu Post reported.
About 200 homes along Butwal’s riverbank were at risk, a police officer said, adding that security forces evacuated almost 1,000 people overnight as the Tinau and neighbouring streams swelled due to the continuing rain.
Authorities first relocated about 500 residents from Butwal Metropolitan City-13’s high-risk Majhuwa neighbourhood to the Durga Temple holding centre. They were later moved to different schools in Butwal-11 for safety.
Around 8 p.m. on Saturday, the Tinau River crossed its danger level, prompting security forces to launch rescue and evacuation efforts.
With water levels expected to rise further, the Rupandehi district administration has advised residents living close to rivers and streams to remain vigilant and move to safer areas if necessary.
As the rain persisted, the Narayani River and the Riu stream in Bagmati province’s Chitwan district also crossed their respective danger levels early on Sunday.
Department of Hydrology and Meteorology Reports
The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology reported that at around 5:15 a.m., the Narayani River reached 9.23 metres at the Devghat gauge station. Its warning level is 7.3 metres, while its danger level is 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 is 3.8 metres, the Kathmandu Post reported.
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, while a mud-laden landslide blocked traffic in both directions, a police official said.
A landslide at Simaldhara in the same municipality has also blocked the road in both directions.
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.
The Karnali River in Sarkegad in Humla was also rising, but remained 2.74 metres below its 4-metre danger level. At Biunhidhanda, the river level stood at 2.42 metres.
The Mugu Karnali, meanwhile, was 5.1 metres below its 7.5-metre warning level and 9-metre danger level, with the water level continuing to rise.
According to the report, a landslide has closed the Nagna-Gamgadhi route at Jharikhola in Mugu.
The Karnali Highway in Kalikot has been closed by a mudslide at Gagne Khola in Shubhakalika Rural Municipality-1. As the river water declined, the Tila Karnali stood at 3.27 metres, below its 5-metre warning level and 5.45-metre danger level.
Additionally, landslides at Khaccha in Sarkegad-1, Gopchegauda in Kharpunath-1 and Yalwang in Namkha-4 in Humla have caused traffic disruptions along the Karnali Corridor.
The Tila Karnali and Sija rivers in Jumla had steady water levels of 3.74 metres and 2.86 metres, respectively.
Authorities in all affected districts have advised residents in landslide- and flood-prone areas to remain vigilant and evacuate to safer locations if necessary as the rain continues.
A total of 389 houses in the districts of Nawalparasi West and Saptari were submerged by floods from the Narayani and Saptakoshi rivers on Saturday, forcing hundreds of residents to relocate to safer areas.
Death Toll and Rescue Operations
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the bodies of 1,451 people had been recovered till Saturday, a month after flash floods originating near the Nepal-Tibet border destroyed towns and villages in northern and central Nepal.
A total of 13,795 people have been rescued till Saturday, the NDRRMA said.
(Inputs From PTI)
