Kathmandu, July 23

Boudhanath Stupa, a UNESCO World Heritage site, bore the brunt of the brief but heavy rain today, as the premises of the ancient shrine was inundated. Though inundation of the stupa premises is nothing new, today’s water-logging kept devotees and foreign tourists away for more than two hours in the evening. Ramesh Lama, a local, said water-logging was believed to have been caused by insufficient drainage capacity and blockage of sewerage system due to waste and polythene bags.

“Mud flows into the area from Fulbari. However, it does not take more than half-an-hour for water to recede after rain stops,” added Lama.

DSP Achyut Pudasaini, in-charge at Bouddha-based Metropolitan Police Circle, said not only the stupa premises but also the Chuchchepati-Jorpati stretch was under water. “Water-logging is taking toll on pedestrians and motorists, as the stretch of road has become unusable,” he said.

Frequent digging of roads for construction work and the tendency to leave them unrepaired for long have also obstructed water flow.

Kathmandu Valley experienced 9.6mm rainfall during the past 24 hours, ending at 5:45pm today.