OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
KATHMANDU — Continuous heavy monsoon rain has triggered multiple landslides, forcing the closure of the crucial Narayanghat-Muglin road section. This vital highway serves as a primary transit vein connecting the capital city, Kathmandu, with the southern plains and western regions of the country.
According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, a low-pressure monsoon system sitting close to Nepal’s southern Tarai region has caused intense precipitation nationwide. Extreme rainfall has been recorded over the last 24 hours, with Kathmandu’s Chandragiri measuring 93.6 mm, while districts like Makawanpur and Myagdi received over 121 mm.
Key Impacts and Safety Warnings
- Travel Disruptions: Authorities have suspended vehicular movement along the landslide-prone Narayanghat-Muglin stretch as clearing crews await safer conditions. Additionally, local diversions have been washed away, and traffic on the Kanti Highway remains restricted.
- Precautionary Advisory: Senior meteorologists warn that heavy to very heavy rainfall is projected to intensify overnight.
With rivers swelling rapidly, disaster management officials urge travelers to avoid non-essential highway travel and remain on high alert for flash floods and debris flows in vulnerable hilly terrains.
