According to the eastern divisional office of the Department of Water Induced Disaster Prevention (DWIDP) in Biratnagar, the river destroyed the gate number 12 of the barrage. Thirty of the 56 gates of the barrage are now open. Two of the gates are dysfunctional for a long time.
Engineer Mohan Bhattarai at the regional office said 188,000 cusec of water flow was recorded on Friday noon. A red flag is shown as a sign of danger in the barrage after the water level crosses 100,000 cusec. The red flag is in raised position since Wednesday, Bhattarai said.
He said the water level is alarmingly rising in recent days and there is a chance of damage to spurs and embankments.
The river had caused havoc in several villages in Nepal and India after the river breached its embankment at West Kushaha in August last year. The water level at the time of breach was 168,000 cusec in the river.
An Indian firm Bashistha & Bashistha had completed restoration of the breached embankment and spurs last month. The raging river has started eroding the same portion of the embankment and spurs. Spur number 10.2, 10.8 and 10.9 are being hit by the current. Also, the river has started eroding other spurs 18.18 at Madhuban, 23.10, 36.40 and 36.88 at Prakashpur. It is said that the embankment constructed by the Indian firm can withstand up to 900,000 cusecs of water flow.
"There is no immediate threat but from the way the water level is increasing in the river, we must remain on alert," Bhattarai said.
The entire responsibility of maintenance of the barrage, spurs and embankment along the Koshi River falls on the Indian government.
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