Image
© Post Photo People of Sunahaphata in Thapapur VDC-9, Kailali, move to safer areas after inundation.
Floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains displaced hundreds of families and caused damage to several road sections across the country on Thursday. Two deaths have been reported so far.

Srijana KC, 11, and Manju Mainali, 12, were swept away by the flooded Rapti stream at Hetauda-11 in Makwanpur on Thursday. The duo had tried to wade across the stream. Their bodies were found 1km downstream.

People in many villages in Kailali and Kanchanpur districts in the Far West and Banke and Bardiya districts in the Mid West moved to safer areas after incessant rains since Wednesday night inundated their settlements.

Flashfloods and inundation have been reported in Kailali, Banke and Bardiya since Thursday morning. In Banke, a downpour since Wednesday night flooded the Babai river which inundated Balapur, Gulariya and Nepalgunj. Fifty families have been displaced.

Around 500 houses in Joshipur, Bauniya and Thapapur VDCs of Kailali were hit by floods in the tributaries of the Karnali river. The local administration alerted vulnerable communities to move while security personnel were deployed to rescue the affected people.

Met officials have warned people in the Tarai especially those in the far-western region and some parts of the mid-western region against floods and landslides.

In a special bulletin on Thursday morning, the Meteorological Forecasting Division said a rain-producing system concentrated in the western Tarai and Siwalik range could bring thundershowers in Kailali, Kanchanpur, Banke and Bardiya districts.

"The active monsoon phenomenon since Wednesday night has brought rains in many places. In particular, river basins originating from the Chure and Mahabharat range are prone to flooding and landslides," said Barun Poudel, a meteorologist.

Floods have been reported also in Myagdi and Kaski districts. Fifty houses were buried while over a dozen are at risk along the Beni-Athunge-Pakhapani road section in Myagdi. Four dozen houses were inundated in Chhorepatan, Pokhara, which received 305.4mm rain in the past 24 hours.
Dhangadhi, Nepalgunj, Bhairahawa and Lumle recorded rains above 100 millimetres until Thursday evening.