The rain-swollen Mahakali River has been eroding the embankment at Mahakali Tole in Bhimdutta Municipality-11, Kanchanpur, for past one week. The river has already damaged around 70-metre section of the embankment. Continuous rains have thwarted the authorities’ effort to plug the breach.

The municipal ward chairman, Prem Prasad Jaishi, said six gabion boxes were installed to stop the river from spilling its banks, but to no avail.    

“To make matter worse, the river has also swept away one of the spurs. Still, we are contuning with our effort to keep the river from flooding nearby settlements and farms,” he added.

The authorities expect the water level in the river to subside, so that they could fix the damaged embankment.   

The local residents are meanwhile spending sleepless nights. They fear their homes could be flooded any time. Continuous rainfall in the region has only heightened their fear.

“We stay in a lookout at night because the river could break the embankment and flood our homes,” said Dipak Thapa, a local man.

The embankment was constructed four years ago under the People’s Embankment Programme.

Mahadev Bista, the project engineer, said controlling the ongoing erosion was almost impossible with the river gradually changing its course.

The flooded river had also destroyed a spur at Odali in Bhimdutta Municipality-12 in the last week of June, raising fear among local residents.

Officials said there was a danger of flood in Mahakali Tole, Chausikot and Odali.

Traffic halts on Besisahar-Chame road section

LAMJUNG: The Besisahar-Chame road section, the only roadway that connects Manang district to the rest of the country, has been obstructed following a landslide at Chyamche in Marshyangdi Rural Municipality on Monday. According to the locals, vehicular movement along the road has come to a halt due to the landslide at Chyamche in Marshyangdi Rural Municipalit-4. Deputy Superintendent of Police Yadav Dhakal said they were trying to clearing the landslide debris to resume the traffic. The landslide has affected the local residents and the tourists on Annapurna Circuit trek.