Heavy Rainfall Causes Widespread Road Blockages Across Nepal, Bagmati Province Most Affected

Kathmandu – Due to the heavy rainfall for the past three days, almost all roads across the country have been blocked. Continuous heavy rain has caused floods and landslides, making the roads impassable.

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has forecast continuous rainfall until tomorrow.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 22 rivers have crossed the danger level, and 14 are at warning levels.

As of 9:30 AM, all major roads leading to the Kathmandu Valley have been blocked by landslides, as reported by the police and local correspondents.

The BP Highway has been closed since early morning. The Roshi River has washed away the road above the police post at the Nepal Thok section of the BP Highway.

Similarly, the Prithvi Highway has also been blocked. Landslides at Mawa Khola and Dangi Khola in Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality, Chitwan, have obstructed the Prithvi Highway.

The Tanahun section of the Prithvi Highway is also blocked. Landslides in Byas Municipality-12, Ghansikuwa, and Chirkan have halted transportation.

The Dhadhingbesi-Malekhu road, which connects to the Prithvi Highway, has also been blocked by landslides. Landslides at Daregauda and Saghutar in Nilkantha Municipality-8 have completely blocked the road.

The Melamchi-Sankhu road and Araniko Highway, which enter the valley from Sindhupalchowk, are also blocked. Landslides in multiple locations have made it impossible for vehicles to pass.

Due to the continuous heavy rainfall, landslides have blocked the Syafru-Rasuwagadhi road section. As a result, hundreds of vehicles are stranded.

Vehicles traveling from Kathmandu to Rasuwagadhi and cargo trucks carrying goods from Kerung to Kathmandu have been stranded in the Timure area, informed Rasuwa Chief District Officer Bedanidhi Khanal.

Kathmandu’s river corridor roads closed

The roads along the Bagmati, Bishnumati, and Hanumante rivers in Kathmandu have been mostly closed due to rising water levels. The corridor roads along these rivers are almost submerged.

The police have warned people in river corridors and areas prone to flooding, informed spokesperson Karki.

“Nepal Police teams have been deployed across the country, focusing on minimizing the potential loss of life and property from the disaster,” he said.

Bagmati Province most affected

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Bagmati Province has been the most affected by the continuous rainfall. The Ministry’s spokesperson, Rishiram Tiwari, said that there have been incidents of damage, particularly in Kavrepalanchok, Kathmandu, and Lalitpur in Bagmati Province.

The BP Highway, Prithvi Highway, and many other small and large roads in the region have been blocked. In other provinces, there have been numerous incidents of highways being blocked and agricultural land along rivers being eroded. Comparatively, the Sudurpaschim and Karnali regions have seen only light rain.

The ministry has reported some damage in Koshi Province, particularly in Dhankuta. The Kaligandaki Corridor in the west has also been blocked.

The local population, along with the security forces and the Department of Roads, are working to clear the blocked roads. Efforts are focused on minimizing the loss of life and property, the ministry said.

The ministry has requested all citizens to avoid leaving their homes and staying near rivers unless absolutely necessary during the rainy season.

Additionally, six people have died in various disaster-related incidents across the country due to the rain. Central Police spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Dan Bahadur Karki, said that seven people have been injured and seven are missing in incidents such as floods and landslides.