A sudden rise in water level in the Bhotekoshi river has spread fear among the people residing by the riverside in Sindhupalchok district.

The people living in settlements along the Barhabise-Tatopani road, including Barhabise Bazaar, Gati, Hindi, Jhirpu, Chaku, Jambu, Dhusku and Lamosangu, ran outside in the middle of the night after the raging river came threateningly close to their homes.

“We have packed our valuables and clothes. We have to leave in case the water level in the river goes up any higher,” said Rajendra Shrestha of Barhabise Bazaar.

The panic locals of Barhabise Bazaar stayed awake throughout the night. According to Armed Police Force DSP Manoj Thapa, heavy rainfall at Nepal-China border area caused the water level of Bhotekoshi to rise.

Riverbank erosions are taking place in places like Dashkilo, Urgen, Gumba and Liping, he added.

More than two dozen houses in Sindhupalchok were swept away by the Bhotekoshi flood in the first week of July. Motor road and some hydropower projects in the district were also damaged.

Two dead in Pokhara flooding

Lal Prasad Sharma (Pokhara)

Heavy rainfall flooded the streets of Pokhara on Saturday night, killing two persons.

Police said Krishna Bahadur Thapa, 56, and Ganga Subedi, 40, died after they were washed away by the flood.

Thapa, who was injured after being carried away by the fast-moving floodwaters, died while undergoing treatment at a hospital.

The second victim, Subedi, fell into a flooded drain on the same night. Police said his body was recovered from the reservoir of Phewa Power House on Sunday morning.

In Chankapur area, several people were trapped in raging floodwaters. They were rescued by police and locals.

Police said the trapped people were daily wage workers who had come from Bardiya.

Several vehicles were also caught in the flood. 

According to the Western Regional Climate Office, Pokhara received 274.2mm rain on Saturday night.