MANANG, JUNE 25

Human settlements in Chame Rural Municipality have been facing high risk of flood after the Marsyangdi River changed its course.

The river changed its course in Ward No 5 of the rural municipality and began eroding the river banks towards the village in Ward No 4. As a result, the villagers and dozens of offices including school, hotel, financial institutions, and Nepal Red Cross district chapter have been panicked.

Incessant rainfall for some days flooded the river which began cutting the adjoining land, said Chairman of Ward No 4, Labsan Lama.

'The water current was blocked by a motorable bridge in the raging river, which resulted in change of river course,' he said, adding that if the efforts were not made on time to contain the raging river, the settlements and offices would face immediate risk.

Chief District Officer in Manang, Bishnu Lamichhane, also informed that the area of motorable bridge was at high risk after the river changed its course as the bridge blocked water flow. 'The flooded river began cutting lands towards the settlement.

However, there is no condition to remove the bridge either. The water level in the river has not gone down yet.

So the settlements are still at high risk.'

The motorable bridge is so low that it obstructed the flooded river current.

'We are panicked over imminent floods. We're all awake during night getting terrified after the river started eroding settlement,' a local Melina Gurung shared her plight. All concerned agencies must take the matter seriously.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 26 2021, of The Himalayan Times.