It has been four days since Sumit Pandey, who works at Citizen Bank’s branch in Manang, has been able to get to and from his office. The bank is in Chame’s main market, and Pandey normally only needs to cross a motorable bridge over the Marsyangdi river to get to work from where he lives. But the bridge was submerged by floodwaters, disrupting his daily routine.

“I could probably manage by taking the road around Talekhu, but the Marsyangdi is also swollen there, and it is risky,” Pandey said.

The Marsyangdi was blocked after the Ghatte river, which originates from Lamjung Himal, carried down a huge volume of mud, rocks, sand and debris along and deposited it in the Marsyangdi river. As water levels rose, the motorable bridge was submerged. The river has now changed course, with water flowing around both sides of the bridge.

The bridge and road are the main access route to Upper Manang and the principal road serving Manang Ngisyang Rural Municipality. The route is also used by trekkers travelling along the Annapurna Circuit.

But the road and bridge have remained blocked since floods and landslides hit the area on Saturday and Sunday.

Residents of Upper Manang have been unable to travel to Chame, the district headquarters, and even people in Chame have been unable to cross the river. The closure of the road and bridge in the market area has effectively cut off Upper Manang by road.

Six families live in nine houses on the opposite bank from Chame. Floodwaters entered the settlement and destroyed one of the houses, while the others remain at risk. A strong current is still flowing near Tatopani, keeping residents on edge.

According to Krishna Prasad Paudel, assistant chief district officer, machinery was deployed from early Wednesday to clear the road. An excavator was sent near Lokpriya Secondary School in Chame to remove the rocks, gravel and sand piled up in the river.

“One excavator is working now. Since a rock breaker will also be needed, we are preparing to deploy more machinery in the afternoon,” Paudel said. Security personnel are also working from the bridge and in the middle of the river.

Chief District Officer Mukti Prasad Khanal said the Marsyangdi had begun flowing around the bridge instead of through its normal channel. He said the clearance operation was being carried out cautiously because the bridge itself could be damaged.

“We have to work carefully because the bridge could also be affected,” Khanal said.

The road from Chame to Bhratang has been damaged at several points. Mud and debris also entered homes in Humde during Saturday and Sunday’s floods and landslides, he said.

The Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, Nepal Police and residents have joined efforts to clear the debris.

Chame Rural Municipality chair Lokendra Bahadur Ghale said workers were removing the mud, sand and debris deposited in the river to widen the channel and allow the water to flow more freely.

The local administration expects that easing the river’s flow could help protect the bridge and nearby houses. But with the river having changed course, the clearance work itself remains hazardous, Khanal said.

“The road from Chame to Upper Manang is effectively completely blocked at the moment. We are trying to reopen it, but we cannot say when it will be possible. We have to work with caution,” he said.