A team led by Chief District Officer (CDO) of Sunsari Ram Prasad Thapaliya inspected the eastern embankment up to Barahachhetra from the Koshi barrage as the water level has continued to rise. There was a chance of the water overflowing the spurs, CDO Thapaliya said. [break]
Thirty-nine out of the 55 gates in the barrage have been opened following continuous rise in water level and the siren signaling danger has been blaring since Sunday.
The barrage can withstand a pressure of up to 950,000 cusecs but the siren is set off once the level reaches 150,000 cusecs, considering the wear and tear since the construction of the barrage. “The Indian engineer assured us that the barrage can even now withstand up to 500,000 cusecs and asked us not to worry,” CDO Thapaliya said.
Locals are scared as the water level has exceeded double the danger level. “Two of the spurs in the Prakashpur area have been submerged while two others are under additional pressure,” said Padam Khadka, a local.
Engineer at the Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention office at Biratnagar, Mohan Bhattarai, warned that there would be greater danger of erosion once the water recedes below the river bank. The Koshi has also started to erode its banks on the Indian side south of the barrage.
Meanwhile, four houses have been destroyed by the Datkich river in Singiya-9, Sunsari.
2 dead, 8 missing
Eight persons have been missing in landslides and floods following incessant rainfall across the country.
Tulsi Mahato of Bagauda-1 died while searching for driftwood in the Riu river while Hari Prasad Bhattarai of Ayodhyapuri was swept away by the Khahare in Chitwan, according to our correspondent Ramesh Kumar Paudel. Jun Maya Shrestha, 65, of Rishing-5, who was going home from Kathmandu, died after being swept away by the Jidi river Monday afternoon.
Three persons of one family have been missing in Sadewa-2, Taplejung after landslides swept away the houses of Ashang Limbu and Man Bahadur Siling, our Taplejung correspondent Khagendra Adhikari reports.
The chances of rescuing Limbu, 55, his wife and a grandson appear slim because of lack of timely rescue effort at the site some 15 km from district headquarters. The six members of Siling´s family, however, were able to flee to safety.
Likewise, two houses were swept away by the swollen Tamor river at Khamlung Dhobhan and another is also under threat.
Meanwhile, two persons have been swept away by the Triyuga, reports our Udayapur correspondent Maheshwar Chamling Rai. Asha Rai, 42, who had gone to see the swollen river slipped at the river bank while bending to pick up her umbrella.
Raj Kumar Chaudhary, 19, was swept away immediately after he jumped into the river at Hattimara to try to rescue his father Ananda Bimal, who was trapped in the water from all directions.
32 trapped at Hattimara
Altogether 32 persons of 14 families have been trapped at Hattimara after a dam burst on the Triyuga some three kilometers from district headquarters. “We have gathered under one roof. We are going to be swept away. Please rescue us soon,” pleaded Dhak Bahadur Roka over the phone.
Likewise, our Baglung correspondent Dilip Paudel reports that Jhak Bahadur BK, 40, of Taman-3 in Baglung district has been missing after being swept away while crossing the Taman river with a buffalo Monday evening.
Nirmal Ghimire reports from Bardiya that thousands of families are under threat due to the rising water level in the Karnali following heavy rainfall for seven days. The district administration said 600 families have been shifted to safer places as of now.
The district administration said the evacuation was carried out as a precautionary measure after water started to enter the freed kamaiya settlement at Chhediya of Rajapur area. Altogether 11 VDCs will be under threat due to increasing water levels if India closes the Bahraich Dam.
Meanwhile, 11 families have been displaced in Pakala-6, Riya in Dang due to landslides, according to our correspondent Gajendra Bohara.
Related story
Water level in Koshi River recedes, situation is now risk free:...
