KATHMANDU, MAY 5
Security personnel rescued 89 passengers after sudden flooding in the Roshi River trapped vehicles along the BP Highway on Monday night.
According to police, five microbuses were stranded between Laskot and Ghumaune in Roshi Rural Municipality-7 after the swollen river cut off the road, leaving the vehicles isolated. All passengers were evacuated safely overnight.
Chief of the District Police Office, Kavre, Komal Shah, said a joint team of the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force carried out the rescue operation. Chief District Officer Gopal Adhikari was also present at the site to coordinate the efforts.
The vehicles, en route to Kathmandu from various Tarai and hilly districts, were caught in the flood triggered by sudden rainfall.
Authorities said the Roshi River section has remained vulnerable for over two years after floods damaged parts of the BP Highway. A temporary diversion is currently in use, while a permanent solution along the 18-km stretch is yet to be implemented.
Following the incident, traffic movement was halted, with vehicles heading east stopped at Dhulikhel and Kavrebhanjyang, and those bound for Kathmandu held at Mangaltar in Sindhuli, according to the District Traffic Office, Banepa.
Police said prior advisories had urged drivers to avoid the route due to flood risks. Drivers ignoring warnings have been taken under control, and authorities have again appealed to the public to exercise caution while travelling through the area.
(With inputs from RSS)