With the torrential rainfall for the past three days, water level in the Mahakali River has increased suddenly on Thursday.

People of Darchula were left panic stricken following the increase in water level.

The flooded river breached the foundation of under construction riverbank protection dam at Bangabagada area.

According to locals, the rain-fed river started eroding the land after it damaged the concrete foundation of the embankment constructed by Mahakali River Control Project.

Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force (APF) personnel with help of locals have been working tirelessly to protect the embankment from washing away.

About10 metres of the riverbank protection dam were washed away by the river.

The Local Administration said that the foundation of the embankment was sunken following a dry landslide in Pithoragarh area of India which triggered water pressure in the river on the Nepali side.

Four years ago, the devastating flood in the Mahakali River swept away 56 houses in the district.

The construction of embankment was started in the wake of the devastating flood which killed 12 people.