Kathmandu: Around 200 families have been displaced in flood-affected settlements due to flooding in the Bagmati and Lalbakaiya rivers in Rautahat. Similarly, in Kanchanpur, approximately 35 families have been displaced in settlements along the Doda River.

After the flooding in the settlements, water has entered the village of Rautahat, and in Lalbakaiya River, 48 families have been displaced after the embankment built in Rajpur Municipality of Rautahat collapsed. Similarly, in the flood-affected area of the Bagmati River, 70 households in Badharwa of Durga Bhagwati Rural Municipality, Jathariya, Basatpur, and 56 households in Rajdevi Municipality, Chandia, Laxmipur, and Pathara, according to Chief District Officer Dhamendra Kumar Mishra. “We have received news of around 200 households being affected by the rain and floods in the district,” said Prajaya Mishra, adding that food, shelter, and other humanitarian support are being provided to the affected families.

For the management of displaced families, the District Disaster Management Committee has provided 125 tents. Rajpur Municipality has arranged communal meals for the affected families, as mentioned by Mayor Rajik Alam. In Rautahat, floods have occurred after continuous heavy rainfall for the past week.

In Kanchanpur, Simari has displaced 30 families, and Ratosal has displaced 5 families. Since Monday, floods have affected the Basti area along the Doda River. Despite a decrease in floodwaters, the stagnant water in the Basti area has not receded due to the construction of an alternate road in the higher areas, according to Ward Chairperson Padam Bahadur Rokaya.

The displaced families have received food assistance from the Ward Office. All the affected families are being provided communal meals in one location, as stated by Ward Chairperson Rokaya. In the absence of receding water in the Basti area, locals have constructed an alternate road to divert traffic. Despite being a flood-prone area during the monsoon, the Rana community faces the risk of drowning even during normal floods.

Due to floods in the Mahakali River, the Bhuttol transportation route on the Sharda barrage was closed on Wednesday. According to measurements taken at 7 PM, the water flow in Mahakali River has reached 99,645 cubic feet per second (cfs). On Wednesday morning, the water flow had reached 135,000 cfs. Due to concerns about the weakening old bridge, the traffic office of Province Dhanagadi has imposed a ban on crossing with vehicles when the water flow reaches 100,000 cfs.

Hundreds of families have been affected in various municipalities of Kailali. Many have been affected in Bhajani Municipality, according to Mayor Kevol Chaudhary. Among the severely affected areas, Kusumghat, Dhusi, Bardhawa, Kanaiyapur, Bahadurpur, Janakpur, Mizahar, and Sonaphanta in Bhajani Municipality are struggling to cope with floods. Due to an increase in the flow of Kandha and Pathariya rivers, the Duban area in Bhajani Municipality has been flooded. The Duban-affected people are living in a precarious situation, and some families have taken shelter in public buildings. “It’s not just my house, the whole village is flooded. I have abandoned my home to stay by the road,” said Janak Chaudhary of Dhusi village.

Due to ongoing rain, the Bhim Datta Rajmarga (highway) remained closed on Wednesday. The damaged Bhim Datta Rajmarga is the lifeline connecting seven mountain districts of the far-west with the Tarai. According to the Provincial Traffic Office, around two hundred meters of road has been swept away from Budhi Tola of Godawari Municipality-4 to Khani Dada. The damaged road and its slippery surface are making road repair work difficult. “We had deployed five bulldozers for repair since Wednesday morning, but due to heavy rain, repair work has not been effective. It’s uncertain whether we’ll be able to open an alternative route on Thursday,” said Superintendent of Police Netra Mani Ghiri of the Provincial Traffic Office. The damage caused by the flood in Budhi Tola has displaced nine families in Godawari Municipality-4.