The NA said the water level at the artificial lake had decreased by seven centimetres on Saturday. A 5-metre dam was formed after the landslide blocked the river at Mankha VDC on August 2.

The NA team had carried out 23 explosions to drain water from the dammed Sunkoshi river on Friday.

NA Directorate of Public Relations further informed that efforts are being made to restore the Kodari Highway by creating more outlets to the artificial lake. Around one kilometres section of the road is buried under the landslide, while nearly two kilometres  stretch remains submerged.

The government has announced the missing 123 people “dead”. The rescuers have, however, recovered only 33 bodies from the rubble so far.