RAUTAHAT/ JANAKPUR: Security personnel rescued 26 persons who were stranded due to flood in Lal Bakaiya River in Inarwa of Rautahat on Friday morning.

Folks of Inarwa VDC had gone to the river to collect fodder and graze cattle. They had been stranded on the elevated river bed after the river flooded all of a sudden.

Security personnel along with locals rescued them later in the afternoon.

According to SP Sanubabu Thapaliya, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force personnel had reached the site immediately after getting information about stranded people in the flooded river.

“As soon as we heard the news we swung into action and rescued the people, along with 56 goats they had taken there to graze,” said Thapaliya.

Meanwhile, vehicular movement along the East-West highway has been disrupted since the flooded Ratu River, flowing along the border of Mahottari and Dhanusha, washed away the diversion in the river.

Thousands of passenger as well as cargo vehicles have been stranded on both sides.

Road Division Office of Janakpur had constructed the diversion in the river about 10 months ago in order to facilitate repairs after the 204-metre long bridge, built around 40 years ago with the assistance of the then USSR, collapsed.