By Purushottam P. Khatri
Kathmandu, Aug. 4: Landslides and floods in different parts of the country triggered by incessant rains have blocked transportation completely in at least seven major highways while over half a dozen others have seen partial halt of traffic.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the highways including Araniko, Pasang Lhamhu, Beni-Jomsom, Bhaluwang-Rolpa, Sanphe-Martadi, Karnali Highway in Dailekh and Kalikot districts, and Solu-Okhaldhunga have not come into operation for over a month as they were damaged during the heavy rains.
According to Murari Wosti, Joint Secretary and spokesperson at NDRRMA, the East-West Highway (Mahendra Highway) and Prithvi Highway have, however, come into operation partially since last week by clearing the debris.
Landslides had occurred in over 100 places of Prithvi Highway (from Naghdhunga to Mugling) since the onset of the monsoon season. Road clearing teams have been deployed in over a dozen places along the highway so as to open the traffic, at least one-way, Wosti said.
Also, Siddhartha Highway, Madan Ashrit Highway (Narayanghat-Mugling), B.P. Koirala Highway (Bhittamod-Dhulikhel), Mechi and Koshi highways, Pushpa Lal Highway and Postal Highway (Kechana-Dodhara) have also come into partial halt. A local Jawang river in Dhading and the mighty Trishuli River have eroded the road; in one place the road has slipped about 10 metres, according to the NDRRMA.
Also, the road near Ghumaaune of Dhading has also been eroded by the local streams which flow down from above the road. The road near the cable car station of Kurintar is also at high risk of collapsing at any time.
According to senior divisional hydrologist and spokesperson at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology Bikash Shrestha Zoowa, this year, many places of Nepal have already received above normal rainfall. Nepal’s average rainfall for the monsoon season is 1,200 mm but due to varying geographical terrain of the country, measurements of average rainfall is different.
For example, the average rainfall for the month of August in Kathmandu is 330.8 mm. As of 3 August 2020, 27.10 mm rainfall has been recorded, just in three days.
Chief at the NDRRMA Anil Pokhrel suggested people not going on a long route travel during the monsoon as the most areas of the country had already been saturated with high chances of landslides at any part of the country and highways.
Within one and a half months, 163 people lost their lives and 45 went missing because of the monsoon-induced havoc.
In the last seven days, landslides killed 33 people, while flood and heavy rains claimed one each. And since the beginning of monsoon, landslides killed 139, heavy rains claimed six, floods washed away four to death, thunderbolt hit one dead and seven succumbed to snakebites.