The Narayanghat-Muglin road will be closed to all traffic overnight from Thursday as continuing rain raises the risk of landslides.

The Chitwan District Administration Office said vehicles would be barred from using the road from 8pm Thursday until 5am Friday.

In a notice issued by Assistant Chief District Officer Ishwar Prasad Sharma, the administration urged people to avoid non-essential travel, check weather and road conditions before setting out and exercise particular caution in areas prone to landslides and flooding.

The Narayanghat-Muglin section, a major road link between Kathmandu and western Nepal, is frequently disrupted by landslides during the monsoon. Authorities said the risk has increased with persistent rainfall in recent days.

The closure comes as the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has warned of widespread heavy rain from Friday through Sunday. It has advised people to avoid long-distance road travel from September 25 to 27 and urged trekkers in the Himalayan region to return to safer, lower elevations.

A low-pressure system over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a deep depression and is moving towards the coast. Weather activity has already increased in Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki provinces, with the system expected to bring rain across the country.

“There is a possibility of extremely heavy rainfall and snowfall in Gandaki and Lumbini provinces, so people need to remain alert,” meteorologist Hari Prasad Dhakal said.

Forecasters have warned that prolonged rain could raise river levels and trigger landslides and debris flows, particularly in areas where the ground is already saturated from the monsoon.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has also warned of flooding, soil erosion and debris flows, with possible inundation in parts of the Tarai. It has urged travellers and people in high-altitude and mountainous areas to move to safer locations and avoid unnecessary travel until conditions improve.

The renewed warnings come less than a month after the August 26 Bhotekoshi flood devastated parts of the country, killing more than 1,400 people and leaving thousands missing. The disaster swept away homes, schools, roads and other critical infrastructure, leaving large areas heavily damaged.

Weather experts have cautioned that the latest spell of rain does not warrant panic but requires heightened preparedness, including avoiding travel at night and monitoring official weather and road updates.