Floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in several places across the nation. At least six people died in Gorkha, Dhading and Udayapur districts while scores of houses were inundated and roads and bridges damaged in various parts of the country in the past 24 hours.

In Saptari, around 500 houses were inundated in various local units of the district. According to Shailesh Kumar Sah, mayor of Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality, more than 300 houses were waterlogged at wards 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the municipality due to the seepage of the Saptakoshi river and a lack of a proper outlet system in the area.

Gobargadha village, which is surrounded by Saptakoshi river in Hanumannagar Kankalini-13, is at high risk of flooding, as the water level is increasing in the country's biggest river due to heavy rainfall.

“Around 500 people are living in the Gobargadha settlement now. The residents feel unsafe with the rise in water level in the Saptakoshi river,” said ward Chairman Bindeshwor Sah. The settlement is affected by floods every monsoon season.

Chief District Officer of Saptari Jayanarayan Acharya said the residents of Gobaragadha will be relocated to a safer location in case of floods.

According to the District Police Office in Saptari, the water flow in the river has crossed 200,000 cusecs since Saturday morning. Twenty-nine out of 56 sluices of the Saptakoshi barrage have been opened to reduce the water level, police said.

Similarly, around 200 houses were inundated after the floods in the Triyuga, Amaha, Tengra, Gangajali and Satarapatara rivers entered human settlements at wards 1, 2, 3 and 4 of Saptakoshi Municipality in Saptari. The flooded Triyuga and Tengra have been eroding the embankments, leaving nearby settlements at high risk of inundation.

“The rivers have been eroding embankments at Sakhuwani and Siddipur areas at wards 2 and 3,” said Mayor Uttam Gautam.

In Udayapur, the flooded Tiryuga river damaged an under-construction motorable bridge at Chaudandigadhi Municipality-5 on Saturday.

Akhtar Miya, a 48-year-old local resident, sustained injuries in the incident.

The flooded Dwar stream swept away an elderly man at Chaudandigadhi-7 on Saturday. Police identified the deceased as Gumsher Rai.

In Dhading, two persons were buried in a landslide at Jawang stream, Ward No. 10 of Benighat Rorang along the Prithvi Highway.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police in the Area Police Office in Gajuri Yubaraj Khadka, the landslide also injured six other people and damaged two vehicles.

Similarly, in Simle, the flooded Mahesh stream damaged an under-construction bridge that connects Ward No. 2 of Thakre Rural Municipality to Ward No. 11.

In Gorkha, an elderly couple died in a landslide at Uppalo Gohoro, Ward No. 7 of Siranchok Rural Municipality on Friday night.

“The landslide occurred 60 metres above the house where the couple (80 and 70 years of age) were sleeping,” said Suraj Dhakal, the ward chairman.

In Arughat Rural Municipality Ward No. 3, a 26-year-old man, who was in a critical condition after being swept away by the flooded Phungi stream on Saturday morning, died while undergoing treatment at Arughat-based Primary Health Centre, said Prakash Dahal, DSP in Gorkha.

In Lamjung, six houses were swept away by rain-related incidents on Friday night. Thirty-three individuals have been displaced by the disasters, according to the District Police Office in Lamjung.

In Makawanpur, 12 houses were destroyed in three separate local units due to landslides. Five houses were damaged in Thaha Municipality, four houses in Raksirang Rural Municipality and three houses in Kailash Rural Municipality, according to the District Police in Makawanpur. Over 70 households in Thaha Rural Municipality are at risk of landslides, police said.

According to the District Police Office in Makawanpur, multiple landslides occurred along the Tribhuvan Highway, Kulekhani-Sisneri-Kathmandu road, Kulekhani-Phakhel-Kathmandu road and Kanti Lokpath road on Friday night.

“Works are being carried out to remove landslide debris from the roads. Vehicular movement along most of the road sections has been obstructed due to the landslides,” said Devendra Das, police inspector of the District Police Office in Makawanpur.

Roads leading to several Chepang villages in Chitwan and Makawanpur districts have also been badly damaged by multiple landslides and floods. Vehicular movement along several road sections has been obstructed, police said.

On Saturday, a team of security personnel retrieved the body of an individual who went missing after a landslide buried two houses in Lothar Parkhal, Chitwan. Three individuals are still missing, police said. The landslide occurred in Lothar Parkhal on Thursday.

In Sindhuli, floodwaters from Dahare, Kamitar and Bamdaha rivers have damaged three kilometres of the blacktopped Dudhauli-Lakhima-Arun Thakur road, according to the District Police Office in Sindhuli.

(With inputs from local correspondents)