MYAGDI, May 24: A grave possible disaster has been passed for now as Kaligandaki River that was obstructed by landslide tookakes natural course on Sunday evening.
NA fails to start work as landslide continues
A team of Nepal Army (NA) that has reached the incident site to clear the blockage of Kaligandaki river has failed to start work as landslide has continued till Sunday afternoon.
Minister for Home Affairs Bamdev Gautam has arrived in the district to take stocks of the incident.
A team of NA and experts had reached there on a chopper after massive landslide blocked the river forming an artificial lake.
Home Ministry warns of releasing excess water from Kulekhani Da...
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As many as 26 houses have been inundated after earthquake-ravaged hill crumbled onto the Kaligandaki river, creating a dam as high as 200 meters at Bhagawati VDC 2 in Myagdi district on early Sunday.
The Kaligandaki River has been blocked at Ramche of Myagdi district since 1 am today after a cliff fell into the river.
The blockage has created a big artificial lake and stopped the river flow in the Kaligandaki River.
According to Tek Bahadur KC, Chief District Officer of Myagdi district, around 90 percent of the river has been blocked prompting evacuation of Benibazaar and Galeshwor locals who were residing near the bank of the river.
The landslide-triggered blockage of Kaligandaki River has threatened human settlements in Beni Bazaar, Milanchowk Bazaar, Maldhunga Bazaar, Imichaur of Ranipani VDC and Setibeni Bazaar nestled along the border area of Parbat, Gulmi and Syangja districts. Likewise, Purtighat Bazaar of Myagdi and Mirmi of Syangja, the dam site of Kaligandaki, are also reeling under imminent danger.
The landslide that occurred after the ridge suffering big cracks and holes caused by the April 25 earthquake and subsequent aftershocks caved in the river.
Citing growing threat in the area, Nepal Army and Nepal Police asked local dwellers along the river banks to move to safer areas.
"We used loudspeaker to inform the locals about the blockade of the river and to evacuate them somewhere to safe places" said Bikash Timalsina, Chief of Traffic Police Office, Myagdi.
Locals of the area have been looking for safe place after getting the information.
Since, Benibazaar lies on the bank of the Kaligandaki River, it is at high risk. Likewise, the river basin areas reeling under threat are Galeswor, Myagdi Beni, Parbat Bagar and Parbat Beni and Kaligandai River banks area in Baglung, Parbat and Syangja districts.
Photos: Hari Krishna Gautam/Santosh Pokhrel
