Transportation has come to a halt along Rasuwagadhi-Syaphrubesi road section—the only Nepal-China link road in operation—after rain-triggered floods damaged a bridge over Timure Ghattekhola in Rasuwa.

The local administration on Saturday banned all vehicles from crossing the 51-metre bridge after the floods in the stream damaged its base pillar on Thursday.

The local administration, which had restricted the heavy vehicles from the crossing the  bridge on Friday as precaution on Friday, has imposed ban on the light vehicles on Saturday after the technicians from the Division Road Office in Nuwakot found the damage to be quite severe.

Hundreds of trucks, carrying goods imported from neighbouring China, have been stranded at the border crossing, also causing millions of rupees in revenue losses to the government. Besides, the truck entrepreneurs have been forced to pay high parking fees.

According to Chief District Officer (CDO) Krishna Poudel, around 200 containers have been stranded in the area due to the traffic obstruction. “We will soon coordinate with the Department of Roads and decide whether the bridge could be operated after maintenance or it needs reconstruction,” said CDO Poudel.  

Meanwhile, the road near Timure, which has been obstructed due to a landslide since Wednesday, has opened for traffic since Friday, according to the Border Police Post in Timure. Nine people had died in the landslide.