Key Takeaways:

• Postal Highway submerged near Fatuwa Bridge in Rajpur Municipality.
• Pedestrians, motorcyclists and vehicles forced to cross floodwaters.
• Police and Armed Police deployed; traffic may be halted if levels rise.
• Locals demand road elevation, drainage and flood-control structures

KATHMANDU, AUGUST 6 Residents and commuters in Rautahat have been forced to risk crossing floodwaters after the swollen Lalbakaiya River inundated a section of the Postal Highway, disrupting movement in Rajpur Municipality. Floodwater has been flowing over the road at the low-lying stretch west of the Fatuwa Bridge in Rajpur Municipality, leaving pedestrians, motorcyclists and other motorists with no option but to navigate the submerged roadway. The affected section is a key link on the Postal Highway, used daily by hundreds of vehicles and commuters. With no alternative route available, many have continued travelling despite the heightened risk posed by the strong current. Authorities said the danger of accidents has increased as the river continues to swell. Personnel from the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been deployed to monitor the situation and may temporarily halt traffic if water levels rise further. With rainfall continuing across the region, local authorities have urged residents living along the riverbanks and travellers using the route to remain on high alert. Local residents have meanwhile called on the government to implement a long-term solution, including raising the road level, improving drainage infrastructure and constructing permanent flood-control structures to prevent recurring monsoon disruptions.