RAUTAHAT, July 12: A person lost his life after being swept away by the swollen Lal Bakaiya River on Thursday.

The deceased has been identified as Ram Pukar Patel,35, of Ishnath Municipality-3. Reportedly, he was returning home on his motorcycle from India when the incident occurred.

Incessant rainfall for the past two days increased the water level in the river. Vehicular movement has been obstructed along various routes as roads have become muddy.

According to the District Police Office (DPO), Rautahat, inundation and torrential rainfall has damaged six houses in different local units of Rautahat. Not just that, the flood originating in the river has also washed away a diversion that connected Bairgania of India with Phulbariya in the border area.

Patel was riding his motorcycle along the railway line near the diversion built in Phulbariya when the diversion was washed away by the flood. He had gone missing after falling into the river along with his motorcycles at around 5 am. Some Indian citizens who saw him swept away by the river informed the police about the accident after which the Indian security personnel intensified search for him from early morning. They first recovered the motorbike (Br 55 A 4138) in the beginning and then found his body later.

After verifying the registration number of the motorbike, the Indian police found out that it belonged to a Nepali citizen named Pukar Patel and informed the Nepali authorities. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Nabin Karki, spokesperson for Rauthat Police, family members of the deceased have gone to India to bring the dead body.

The increasing level of water in Lal Bakaiya and Bagmati rivers has created panic among the locals living nearby the rivers. A meeting of the District Disaster Management Committee (DDMC) held on Thursday has urged the locals to adopt precaution to curb the risk of flood and inundation. Chief District Officer Kiran Thapa says Armed Police Force men and Nepal Police personnel have been mobilized in various parts to curb the risk.

 
• lal_bakaiya_river
 
• sweep_away