Floods triggered by incessant rains have swept away two motorable bridges and damaged a hydropower project.

The swollen Tamor river swept away.

According to Kuber Nepali, the chief engineer of Olangchungola Highway Project, the steel truss of the under construction bridge linking Phungling with Khamlung was swept away. The preliminary assessment suggests that property worth around Rs 25 million was destroyed in the incident.

The bridge, which links the northern part of the district with the district headquarters, is being constructed with an investment of Rs 110

million.

Tanka Khatiwada of local Dobhan Bazaar said the flood swept away the bridge at around midnight. “The local people fled to Taplejung Municipality as the flooded Tamor whisked away the bridge with a bang. We feared that the debris-dammed lake burst and caused the flood,” said Khatiwada, adding that the locals returned to their settlements after the water level receded on Saturday morning.

Similarly, transportation along the Beshisahar-Chame road section came to a halt as a bridge across Myardi stream was swept away on Friday night. The flooded stream swept away the truss bridge linking Lamjung and Manang districts. “The road had been obstructed partially for the past month. The road section is totally blocked now,” said Chief District Officer of Manang Ganja Bahadur MC. He fears the disruption of vehicular movement could lead to the shortage of daily essentials and medicines in Manang. 

In Parbat, floods damaged an intake of Modikhola Hydropower Project, knocking out the 14-megawatt power generation. Project chief Tara Dutta Bhatta said the flood in the Madikhola damaged the intake and some machinery in the facility on Friday night.

Water level rises in debris-dammed lake

Water level in landslide-dammed lake in Tamor River in Sawadin, Taplejung, has increased, leaving the downstream settlement at risk. A fresh rockfall blocked water flow in the river. Pawan Shrestha, a resident of nearby Mitlung Bazaar, told the Post over the phone that the water level in the debris-dammed lake gradually increased on Saturday.

In Baitadi, seven shops were swept away by flood at Chainpur, the district headquarters of Bajhang, on Friday evening.

The floods on Bauli rivulet swept away seven shops and a suspension bridge, said Deputy Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, Bajhang, Narendra Chand, adding that more than 15 shops were at high risk. The flood also swept away a bridge, leaving more than 30 VDCs cut off from the district headquarters, police said.